Buckle Down
by Gryffindor4Life
Summary: Formerly known as Hope Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry Potter is the BWL. His sister, Hope, was sent to the Dursleys. Watch as Hogwarts is taken by storm as they realize Harry Potter's sister has a mischievous streak like her father and the brains of her mother. She may not be as perfect as her golden twin, but she has a thirst to prove herself. Lily and James Live! Twins!
1. Diagon Alley

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. I have rewritten this chapter! Let me know if you like this Chapter One more or if you preferred the other one more, I'm curious... People here for the first time please ignore that :) I will redo the other chapters soon.**

**Please Review, Favorite and Follow! Thanks so much guys and gals! **

"Whoa." I breathed with wide eyes filled with childlike wonder.

The Alley was packed with children and adults alike, children running around screaming while their parents chatted with friends. The different shops that littered the sidelines sold many weird things. Bat spleens and eels' eyes were among them along with strange silver instruments that puffed colored smoke and telescopes that looked far to elaborate for simple, everyday star gazing.

As Hagrid began to point off a few shops and what they sold, my attention turned towards a large crowd of people outside a shop called 'Eeylops Owl Emporium'. I could see various owls through the window before my path was blocked by a man holding quite a large camera.

Normally when you went shopping for beginning-of-the-year-school-supplies you bought things like pencils, notebooks, and about twenty erasers. But no, not at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, here you bought things like a wand, dragon hide gloves and a pewter cauldron.

I glanced up at my guide, Hagrid. Hagrid was a eleven foot half-giant, yes I said half-giant, with a monstrous brown beard and black beetle-like eyes. He would be helping me get all of my supplies and the like.

"Hagrid, where would we get a wand?"

"You would ge' yer wand a' Ollivanders. 'Bu' firs' le's go ter Gringotts, That's where we'll ge' yer money."

Don't make fun of the way he talks. That's just rude.

"Money?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow "I havn't any money."

"Of course yer do, yer paren's lef' you somethin' o' course." He laughed, thinking my question was a joke.

I frowned slightly. The reason Hagrid here was my guide is because I had no one to take me. Not because they were busy, but because I honestly had no one to take me. My aunt and uncle are Muggles, a wizard word for people without any magical blood in their veins, and don't believe in the word 'magic'. They wouldn't have let me gone to Hogwarts if Hagrid hadn't came just yesterday to retrieve me. They were perfectly fine with making me go to the Muggle school and not go to Hogwarts.

At the very end of the Alley was a large, snow-white marble building. Once you compared it to the cramped shops alongside it, you wondered why such a pristine building would be here in the first place. Once inside the building, white tile flooring and white spotless walls, did you notice the one thing off about this place. It wasn't any strange guard creatures or anything like that, it was the people or things that worked there.

They all had fair skin and judging on the few that weren't behind counters, they were very short. They all had long, slender fingers with long pointed nails. Their noses and ears were pointed also and their bald heads were dome-shaped.

"Goblins."

At the end of the building was a counter larger and more important looking than the others, most likely the go-to counter. As we approached the goblin he pulled rectangular glasses down his long nose and folded his hands underneath his chin.

"Miss Hope Potter would like ter make a wi'hdrawal from her fault." Hagrid spoke up, his voice booming in the otherwise quiet hall.

The goblin sat up straight in his chair and looked down at me. I felt self conscious under his calculating gaze. Finally, though still looking at me, did he ask "And does Miss Potter have her key?"

I glanced quickly up at Hagrid, worry no doubt clear in my eyes. I had no key. In fact, I didn't have anything, my relatives saying freaks didn't deserve any property. I only had the clothes I had on right now and they were still hand-me-downs from Dudley, my cousin. My outfit consisted of a ratted pair of jeans and a baggy green T-shirt that I had tied back with a hair tie to make it fit me better.

Hagrid frowned and I couldn't help but think 'oh great, he doesn't have it'. But a second had passed before Hagrid's eyes lit up and he began to dig around in his large coat pocket "Oh yea, I remember, I have 'er here. Aha! Here's the little devil."

He leaned in slightly and his voice dropped, sounding nearly like a normal person's voice "An' 'here's somethin' else, Professor Dumbledore gave me this. Its abou' you-know-wha' in vaul' you-know-which."

Ooooo a secret! I looked up at the goblin who slowly pealed back the ruby seal and began to read the contents. His head slowly game back up and he sort of smacked his thin lips "Very well."

The goblin, I still haven't caught his name, lead us to a few sets of rail tracks. He ushered us into a trolley and soon we were zooming down the numerous caves on squeaky wheels.

We stopped at vault 687, my own vault, and the goblin slipped the key into the lock. I watched as the doors opened by themselves, revealing several mounds of gold, bronze and silver. I stared shell-shocked and quickly scooped a few handfuls into a leather pouch Hagrid had gave me. He said it had a Extension charm cast on it so my things could fit in without hassle.

We went down a few move caves and arrived at vault 713.

"What's in there?" I asked curiously, wanting to know what was so special about this vault and what it held.

"Can't tell yer that Hope, very secret, Hogwarts business." He said in a hushed tone, scooping down to my level.

As the door to this vault opened, Hagrid's large frame blocked the doorway. I tipped my heard slightly to try and get a peak at whatever it was, but all I caught was a small brown package.

Once back on the main floor I bid goodbye to the goblin, which I guess shocked him because of the look that was on his face. As I turned to catch up with Hagrid, a family of three walked in and caught his attention.

"Lily, James an Harry!" Hagrid exclaimed joyfully.

The parents shared a smile as their son ran over and hugged Hagrid, his arms barley reaching around the man "'ello Hagrid, what brings you here?"

"I'm helpin' Hope get er Hogwarts supplies, which I bet yer doin' today ter huh?"

Harry glanced at me, shaggy black hair covering his forehead and emerald green eyes blinking owlishly at me. "Uh yeah." He told Hagrid after a moment.

"Hello Hagrid." Lily said with a sweet smile, dark red hair swinging atop emerald eyes.

James stood beside his wife, arm around her waist and he smiled "Hello there Hagrid." He had the same shaggy black hair as Harry, but he had large hazel eyes instead of green. He glanced over at me before doing a double take, shock filling his eyes.

I smiled at him weakly and looked up at Hagrid "Hey Hagrid, if you want, you can talk to them and I can go get my school supplies."

"Oh no Hope, I'm jus' stopin' ter say 'ello." Hagrid easily swatted at my vain attempts to leave.

Lily looked over towards me and stared "Hope?"

I met her gaze and we stared at each other for quite a while. I shifted awkwardly on my feet.

James cleared his throat "How have you been, Hagrid?"

"O' I've been good. And yer?"

"Pretty good myself." He replied politely.

I tired my best to ignore them all, keeping my attention on a rather plump witch who was complaining about her account.

Hagrid grinned "That's good! Well we best be goin', good-bye Lily, James, Harry. See yer at Hogwarts."

"Yes, good-bye Hagrid." James said. He glanced at me uncertainly "Bye Hope."

"Bye." I muttered.

"Oh! And Happy birthdee Harry!" Hagrid called out to the boy as we turned to leave.

Harry smiled "Thanks Hagrid!" He looked at me and told me rather softly "You to Hope, uh, Happy Birthday."

I looked at him in surprise "Uh thanks... you too."

I glanced up at Hagrid, craning my neck to get a good look at him "So, where off to next?"

"Ollivanders o' course."

CcCcCc

Ollivanders was an old-looking store, most likely the oldest in the Alley. It was owned and operated by Mr. Ollivander himself.

Hagrid opened the door to Ollivanders and looked at me "I'll be righ' back. You jus' go in 'here an' ge' yer wand and I'll meet yea ou'side."

I glanced between the open door and Hagrid nervously "Won't you stay with me?"

"O' you'll be fine Hope an' besides, 'here wouldn't be much room." He explained with a soft smile.

I nodded and took in a deep breath "Okay, I'll see you soon then."

He slapped my shoulder in farewell, causing me to stumble into the shop and nearly fall over my feet. I huffed and rubbed my shoulder as I looked around in awe. "No way."

I opened the door and a bell chimed off somewhere. The walls were covered in slender boxes, no doubt each holding a wand. There were hallways full of other boxes, more boxes were stacked behind the desk and there was even a second floor whose walls were covered in even more boxes. I took a tentative step forward "Hello?"

A rolling sound came from one of the multiple hallways and soon Mr. Ollivander came rocketing towards us on a ladder attached to the wall. Mr. Ollivander was an older man with aging skin and puffy white hair. He looked at the four of us "I wondered when I might be seeing you Miss Potter."

"Seems like only yesterday," He continued, "that your mother and father where in here buying their first wands."

Mr. Ollivander then looked me over "Which arm is your wand arm?"

"My wand-" I began confused, but was immediately interrupted. "Your left or right Miss Potter."

"Oh, right." I mumbled.

Mr. Ollivander grabbed a random box and handed me the wand it contained "Here we are… "

Though I had no idea what to do with it, I experimentally gave it a wave, so as not to look as stupid as I already left.

A stack of nearby boxes burst into flames. My mouth fell open "Oh my god! I'm-"

He instead handed me another wand, ignoring the slowly burning boxes that suddenly put themselves out "Perhaps this…"

A slowly grasped the handle and before I could flick it, a vase exploded, showering the both of us in water.

"No! No! Defiantly not!" He exclaimed. "Maybe… this one."

It sent out a shot of yellow light as soon as I had it, as if the wand had a mind of its own. A drawer in his desk popped open, papers littering the ground around it.

"Nope!" He cried and walked back towards the end of a hall, bringing out another box "I wonder…"

I flexed my wrist and rolled it in a circle.

He walked over to me, totally invading my personal space, and handed me the wand. He stared at me with intense eyes. I felt a sudden power flow through me, as if the window had been left open and a gale of wind swept through. A yellow light seemed to surround me before disappearing. I stared at the wand in wonder "Wicked."

"Yikes!" he exclaimed with a surprised look on his face "Very curious."

"Huh? What is?" I questioned him with furrowed eyebrows.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold Miss Potter, the phoenix whose tail feather resides in your wand, gave another feather, just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand, when its brother, gave you that scar and your brother his." I subconsciously put a hand over my wrist.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I thought about what Ollivander had just said, but then it dawned on me "Voldemort owned the other one didn't he?"

"Shhh! We do not speak his name Miss Potter!" He yelled dramatically.

"Now, the wand chooses the wizard Miss Potter, it's not always clear why, but I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you, after all, He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named did great things, terrible, but great."

I guess most people would have focused on what he said, but my whole sense of focus was on the wand in my hand. A wand whose brother changed my entire life.

Now, I'm guessing your confused. Let me elaborate. I'm guessing you've noticed we all share the same surname: Potter. Lily and James are my parents and Harry is my older, twin brother. Now there's a reason we all didn't come together. I don't live with them. I live with my mothers boney sister, Petunia, her whale of a husband, Vernon, and her pig of a son, Dudley.

The whole reason behind this is the prophecy. 'One born as the seventh month dies, the Dark Lord will mark the child as his equal, though the child has power he does not. The child has the power to vanquish the Dark Lord once and for all.'

Those who were thought to be the child in the prophecy was me, Harry and a child by the name of Neville Longbottom.

That night, my mum, dad, Uncle Sirius and my Godfather Remus had gone out to eat, leaving us with their other close friend Peter. I had always hated him as a baby, they could never figure out why. He was a traitor, a spy. Peter Pettigrew was a spy for Voldemort. A dark and evil wizard. But beyond that is a mystery, all we know is Pettigrew betrayed the Potters to the Dark Lord and the curse rebounded, killing the Dark Lord.

Harry got away with a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead and I got the less noticeable, less cool looking 'L' shaped scar on my inner right wrist. I was asleep when everyone finally got home, Harry was wide awake wailing his little head off. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, believed that Harry had been awake to protect me, but I forgot his reasoning as to why I had fallen asleep.

Harry was then hailed as the Boy-Who-Lived, the vanquisher of the Dark Lord. And so what happened to me? I was then sent away, off to my magic-hating, non-magical, mother's sister's house. And for what reason? Because I was too much of a distraction for my little prodigy brother. I mean come on! We were like one!

CcCcCc

Wand clasped in my hand, I walked out of the door and looked around the cramped alleyway, immediately spotting Hagrid.

He held a large bird cage in his hand, a beautiful owl resting in inside.. He walked towards me and exclaimed "Happy birthdee Hope!"

My eyes widened and I poked my finger through the wire, feeling as the owl's soft feathers glided over my skin. The owl Hagrid had handed me was snow-white with black dots sprinkled over her feathers and round amber eyes. I had never gotten a present before, unless you count Dudley's old broken toys.

I beamed. "Hagrid she's beautiful! Thank you so much!"

Hagrid smiled "It was no problem Hope."

"So what next?"

"How abou' Madam Malkin's fo yer robe fittin'?" he questioned.

I wrinkled my nose at the thought of clothes shopping, I hated shopping, but I guess I _did_ need some new clothes. Hwgrid's large size prohibited him from coming in once again, so I had to make my way in alone. I walked over to a small plastic chair and sat down, waiting patiently for some type of salesperson. On a round pedestal, getting robe fitted, was a boy with slicked back platinum-blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. He talked to the attendant with a high-and-mighty drawling voice. I couldn't help, but immediately hated him. I know, I have amazing people skills.

After he had left, I am immediately ushered onto the pedestal. The woman quickly begins to hold tape measures around different parts of my body, forcing me into the article of clothing and then said clothing piece is fixed if need be. Before I even knew it, I was handed a large bag filled with robes, gloves, a coat, and even a few pairs of pants and some shirts. The whole process was over and another kid was soon taking my place, beore I even knew I was done. I hastily placed the money on the counter and left.

I distinctively remember the boy say his name a few bazillion times, I had to make sure to avoid him when at Hogwarts. What was his name again? Malory? Melody? Oh wait! Malfoy.

I walked back over to Hagrid, who stuffed my clothes into a spare bag, which he told me also had an Extension charm on it like my money bag did.

We then went to several different stores, collecting things like ink, quills, parchment, a cauldron, and a telescope. I only had a few more things needed on my list and those were the course books.

A bell went off like it did in Ollivanders, alerting the owner of our presence. I looked around the shop, which was filled with many rows and shelves which were all filled with books. i looked at Hagrid "I may be in here awhile."

He laughed, but nodded "Thanks alright, I got ter run ter a shop anyways, I'll see yer lat'r."

I nodded and gave a wave "See ya."

I peeked down at my list and walked over to a section that lined a wall, a tall sign that read 'Course Books' hanging over it. I grabbed a nearby basket and placed the eight needed books into it, already feeling its heavy weight. I was about to walk over to a nearby section labeled 'History', but stopped and quickly scooped up next year's set of books.

I picked up a book that was about the 'Soap Blizzard of 1378', but instantly put it back.

I turned the corner to reach the 'Transfiguration' section, but instead bumped into bushy haired girl with slightly large front teeth. We both 'omphed', but I recovered faster and quickly helped her up. I gave her a uncertain smile "I'm so sorry!"

She shook her head "No, I'm sorry! I should have been watching where I was going."

We both stooped down to collect our basket of books and rose at about the same time. I checked to make sure I had all my books and smiled "Missing a 'Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration'?

She looked at her basket before grinning "I am, thanks."

I held my hand out "I'm Hope Potter and you are?"

"Hermione Granger. So, your like, a Potter. As if, like, Harry Potter."

I nod "Yeah, I'm their daughter, his twin sister."

She gasped "I didn't know he had a twin!"

"No one does."

She frowned "What do you-"

I quickly interrupted her "Your names from a Winter's Tale right?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically "Finally someone my age knows!"

I laugh softly "I'm going to assume you're going to Hogwarts this year?"

"Yes. You to then?"

"Yeah, me too."

"What books have you gotten so far?" She asked me after a moment.

"Just the ones needed on the list and next year's set."

"Really?! Me too!" She squealed.

"Oh really." I laughed.

She smiled "But I have no idea what else to get. You see, I'm what you call a Muggle-born and have no clue what's going on around here."

I nodded in understanding "Me either, despite being a Half-blood."

Hermione looked suddenly nervous 'So, um, would you mind if we looked together?"

I blinked in surprise "Oh! No, no. Not at all."

Hermione's smile broke out over her entire face "Great!"

It could have been an hour for all I knew, but rationally thinking it could have only been about half an hour. Out baskets were overflowing with books on dragons, werewolves, Transfiguration, Defense against the Dark Arts, Quidditch and many more. I was surprised I would carry it all. It weighed a lot.

Hermione touched my shoulder "My parents are over there, I gotta go."

"Alright, I should probably leave too." I noted Hagrid's great bulk walk over to the door.

"Well I had fun today, I'll see you on the train right?"

I nodded in agreement "Yes you will."

"Good." She grinned "You better save me a seat, miss."

I chuckled. "As long as you save me mine."

It was when I had finally gotten back to the Dursley's, that's when it hit me with the weight of a freight train. I had made a friend! That's never happened before, especially if Dudley had something to say about it.


	2. Hogwarts Express

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling._ Oh, also in search of a Beta Reader!_ **

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**Bye! :)**

One thing for sure, one thing I found I hated, was being left alone at a train station. So there I was, sporting normal attire and a heavily loaded trolley, trying to figure out what the Sam-heck I'm doing here, when I realize my guide, Hagrid, had abandoned me. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't know the law, but I'm nearly positive that leaving an eleven year old girl alone at the bloody London train station was against it!

I watched as men in pressed suits ran about with phones glued to their ears and as frantic women tried to round up their gaggle of children, but there was no sign, what-so-ever, that any of these people could be of magical lineage. I dug my heels into the concrete flooring, trying to find traction as I pushed the heavy trolley away from the door and towards the center of the station's activities.

Large advertisement signs were plastered everywhere, along with helpful ones that lead you towards the bathrooms, ticket counters and the different million platforms they had here. I looked around for any sign that would say 'Platform 9 3/4', but I couldn't find one, no matter how hard I tried. You would have thought Hagrid would have mentioned its whereabouts to me, I was only introduced to the wizarding world a month ago!

I knew better than to ask someone for directions to Platform 9 3/4, knowing I would only attain weird locks and suspicious glares. I plopped down on a brightly colored bench, resting on leg on my knee as I re-tied my shoelaces. "Packed with Muggles-"

My head snapped up, wincing slightly at the stinging sensation that had started to form at the base of my neck. I rubbed at it, looking around for that voice. For some reason unknown to me, my attention fastened itself on a rather plump witch with ginger hair, her own gaggle of brightly haired children following behind her. "Alright Percy, you first."

I frowned when the boy stepped forward, trailing his trolley and ran straight at the brick wall before him. I braced myself for the sickening crash of flesh against brick, but when none came, I peeled my eyes open. He was gone! He had simply disappeared! I looked around wildly, to see if anyone else had seen, but no one had.

"Alright Fred, you next." She focused her gaze a set of two boys, twins, focusing on one of the boys in particular.

The one she had motioned at gaped at her, looking so horribly offended. He stuck a finger at the boy beside him. "I'm not Fred! He is!"

The other boy 'tsked' her softly, shaking his head in a disappointed feature. "Honestly woman, you call yourself our mother."

She frowned apologetically. "Oh I'm sorry George."

He rolled his trolley around, a mischievous look on his freckled face. "I'm only joking, I am Fred."

His twin grinned at his mother, quickly following behind the other.

I took a hesitant step forward, dragging my cart behind me. "Um excuse me ma'am... could you, uh..."

She put her hands on my shoulder, glancing at the wall I had just gestured at, squeezing my shoulders in a creepy way, my conscience screaming at me to throw it off. "How to get on the platform dear?" She laughed lightly, though I didn't see what was so funny,squeezing her daughter own shoulders. "Oh not to worry, its Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well."

She motioned behind her, towards a boy who seemed about my age and most likely was since this was his first time too. He waved a hand lamely, which I replied with my own lamely shy smile.

"Now," she told me, drawling out the word. "all you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Best to do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous."

Her daughter smiled at me kindly. "Good luck."

"Thanks." I muttered. I rubbed the palms of my hand over my jeans, nervous. I gave a sigh and ran head first in the direction of the wall, mentally and physically bracing myself for the crash. But like before, none came, and I was soon on the other side of the wall. I gazed around, trying to take it all in. The hundreds of students trying to tear themselves from teary-eyed mother. Friends reuniting. Others running onto the large scarlet train that gleamed magnificently in the light.

A boy with dark skin and dreadlocks stood a little ways away, a large box in his hands. Students piled around him screaming. "Give us a look Lee, go on!" A hairy leg popped out of the box in response, causing the students to squeal in delight.

I walked towards the train, staring oddly at the large black steps, wondering how in the world I was going to lug my trolley up them. A freckled hand appeared on my shoulder, startling me. "You need a hand?"

I turned to look up into startling bright blue eyes, instantly becoming speechless. He cocked his head, a wide smile appearing on his face. I nodded awkwardly. "Yes please."

He looked over his shoulder. "Oi, Fred! Come help with this."

The boy ran over, helping his twin heave my trunk onto the train. Fred stood back, giving me a long searching look. "Aw, look what we have here. A little firstie. You remember when we were like that George?"

"Oh, I do. Seems like only yesterday." He wiped away a fake tear, hand over his heart.

The same boy stuck his hand out. "George Weasley. And that _thing_ over there is Fred."

"Hey!" Fred cried out indignantly.

I grasped his hand firmly. "I'm Hope. Hope Potter."

"A Potter?" Fred asked me surprised.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, a Potter. Didn't know Harry Potter had a sister did you?"

"No I did not." Fred replied happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he looked around.

George rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Come on Fred, lets go find Lee, I hear he's got a giant tarantula. See ya Hope!"

I grinned. "Bye."

I hopped aboard the train, using the side bars to pull me up. I had neared the end of the train, finally finding an empty compartment, when I was bombarded by an overly peppy dirty blonde. "Hello! I was just walking by when I noticed your hair! Is it natural?" She tugged at a lock of my hair.

"Um, yeah." I replied awkwardly, giving her a weird look. "It is."

She bobbed her head happily. "Its nice!"

"Thanks." I mumbled uncertainly as she walked off to talk to a blonde-haired girl who was about to enter her own compartment.

"Who was that?" An amused and curious voice asked from directly behind me.

I gaped and turned around. "Hermione!"

She smiled back at me, enveloping me in a hug. "Hope!"

As we pulled apart, opening the door to the compartment I had snatched. "No idea, but she's crazy. I hope I don't get sorted into the same house as her."

Hermione laughed, storing her trunk into a compartment above out heads. "Knock on wood."

I looked around and quickly knocked my knuckles into the side of my trunk. "There," I smiled satisfied. "all good.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sure you did."

"I did." I protested. Hitting my knuckles against the side of the trunk with more force. "But I can't wait! We're almost there!"

Hermione shook her head bemusedly "Yeah, we almost are."

The train screeched and groaned as we passed the grassy fields around us. Rolling hills dipping in and out of view. Hermione and I both sat comfortably near the other, uniforms already on, both reading a book, making comments to the other on its content.

"-I'm just saying!" I said defensively over the top of my book.

"But the theory of it says-"Hermione rebutted only to be interrupted by a boy with red hair, alike Fred and George's, opened the compartment door.

He smiled sheepishly "Do you mind if I sit? My brothers are annoying me."

I nodded at the seat opposite me, remembering the boy, slipping my book into my trunk "Hi, I'm Hope."

"Ron Weasley." He greeted as he plopped down on the seat.

"Hermione." Hermione spoke, glancing at Ron's nose "Err… you got something… dirt… just there." She rubbed the bridge of her own nose.

Ron's cheeks flushed red. He rubbed at his nose furiously "Um thanks."

I glared at Hermione while she blinked at me innocently "What?"

I rolled my emerald eyes and glanced at the brown lump on Ron's lap "What's that?"

"Hmm?" Ron questioned before glancing at his brown rat "Oh… that's Scabbers, my brother's rat, but he's mine now… Bit pathetic now isn't he?"

I shrugged "A bit…"

Ron gave me a half-smile in response.

The compartment door opened to reveal the food trolley, the woman smiled at us "Anything from the trolley dears?"

Ron shook his head sadly, bringing up a bag of sad-looking sandwiches "Nah, I'm good, mum packed, I'm all set."

Hermione stood up and grabbed a simple sugar quill, saying that since her parents were dentists, they'd kill her for eating anything with too much sugar.

I rolled my eyes at her excuse and grabbed a small handful of coins. "I'll take whatever this gets me." I told her simply.

She smiled at me before helping me pick out a bit of everything on the trolley. Once I had thanked her and had all the candy piled on the floor of the compartment I stared at the two beside me. "Alright, listen up you lot. Your helping me eat this whether you like it or not!"

"You're kidding." Hermione squeaked.

"Really?" Ron asked with wide eyes.

"I don't say anything I don't mean." I replied in a serious tone before grabbing a small rectangular box "Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?"

"They mean every flavor too." Ron piped up from his chocolate frog he had snatched. "My brother George reckons he had a bogey-flavored one once."

"Honest?" I asked with a gleam in my eye.

Ron quirked an eyebrow "As honest of George will ever be."

"Awesome!" I cried as I ripped open the package and picked up a pink colored bean "Strawberry."

Hermione picked one up hesitantly and popped it into her mouth, instantly spitting it out onto the floor "Oh gross! I don't even know what that was! It was... moldy and wet tasting!"

"Like… a dirty sock?" Ron suggested.

"I-I guess so…" Hermione said, scrapping at her tongue.

I popped another in my mouth and handed the box to Ron who carefully grabbed a blue one.

"Oi! Sardines!" He spat.

I chewed carefully "Oh… tastes like an envelope."

Hermione glanced at he box disdainfully, as if it would bite her at any second "That's vile."

"Want another?" I asked cheerfully as I shook the box at her.

She grinned and grabbed a grey one, looked at the color with a distrusting frown and choose a red one covered in brown spots. She sighed in relief "Cinnamon."

"Oh gross!" Ron cried suddenly "Tripe!"

Hermione and I laughed.

I picked out a larger bean that was a creamy white, topped with a pale yellow. "Why does this one just scream nasty?" I asked aloud, licking it experimentally.

Ron glanced at me "Eat it. I dare you."

"Can't back down from a dare." I shrugged and threw the bean in my mouth. My face screwed up a second later and spat the half chewed bean onto the floor, crying out in disgust and running my hands over my tongue in a vain attempt to get the flavor off "Oh god that's- oh god! Tastes like a bloody rotten egg!"

Ron snorted aloud, giving me a sympathetic look "Tuff luck mate."

"Tuff luck my arse! That bloody bean tried to kill me!" I cried.

"Hope, for Merlin's sake! It's a jelly bean!" Hermione said exasperated.

"Yes! I know! A jelly bean who tried to kill me Hermione!"

Hermione opened her mouth, but never got to speak as the train screamed to a halt. You could hear compartment doors being opened and talking ensue. A particularly loud voice cried in dismay. "I still haven't found Trevor!" While others cried happily. "We're here!"

"Yes!" I cried jumping up with my fist in the air.

"She always like that?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm assuming so." Hermione nodded.

I grabbed my trunk "Come on slow pokes! We're here! Finally!"

They traded a glance and with a sigh, jumped up and grabbed their own trunks, following me out of the train and into the world we were soon to know. Not knowing what lay ahead, but marching forward with smiles blasted on our faces anyway. I mean, what could be worse than a bloody rotten egg-flavored jelly bean trying to murder your taste buds?


	3. The Sorting Ceremony

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! Oh, also in search of a Beta Reader! I guess I do own Hope though. **

**Thank you for all the follows, reviews, favorites and such! It means a lot to me! It really does! So, I'll be going on a vacation for thanksgiving and may not have time to make the new chapter so I decided to post this one earlier than I would have. Thanks again! Please bear with me while I'm gone! **

_**"**Italics" _**when the hat speaks aloud.**

I smiled as I hopped off the Hogwarts Express, my newfound friends; Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley by my side. A tall, wide-set man with a large beard and beetle black eyes was seen through the throng of students "Firs' years! Firs' years 'his way!"

I grinned as I approached the man "Hagrid!"

Ron looked Hagrid up and down "Whoa."

"Hope! How are yeh?" He asked with a smile.

"I'm great, how are you Hagrid?"

"Good." Hagrid replied before yelling again "Firs' years!"

I looked around "Where are we going?"

"We get to Hogwarts by boats. We cross the Black Lake." Ron explained to us as we hopped into a boat.

Hermione grinned at the girl who had gotten into the boat shortly after us. She had red hair and brown eyes, well I'm assuming, it was pretty dark. Once everyone was in, the boats magically lurched forward and we glided across the lake's ink black surface. The castle not yet in view as we started to round a bend.

I slipped my hand into the water, smiling as it glided through my fingers. I felt something slimy underneath and pulled back with a soft gasp, a long narrow log of some sort bobbing into the water and dipping back in.

"The giant squid." A voice said next to me causing me to jump.

The girl smiled at me sheepishly.

An intake of breath was heard as the first boats rounded the bend and Hogwarts came into view. I gaped at the castle. It was rectangular is shape with a second part sectioned off, separated by a blank piece of land which I would later see as the central tower courtyard. Several towers and turrets hung off the castle. Many windows were alight with a flame and a grand staircase lead to a large pair of main doors. The castle gave off a mystical, magical aura.

Hermione and I traded a glance just as Ron turned to give me a grin. I grinned back at him muttering "This is amazing."

I glanced around the surrounding boats and sneered when I caught sight of my brother, who appeared not to have a head because of his ink black hair. A bright-haired blonde sat near him. I'm pretty sure it was Daphne.

The boats continued their journey towards the end of the shore. Once our feet had touched dry land, we all followed Hagrid towards the large set of solid oak doors. Hagrid heaved them open and we were all ushered inside. We were led up a flight of stairs, the one bellow we had left our trunks and owls, and stood patiently in a golden hall. A new pair of doors stood before us, marking the entrance to the great hall.

A stern looking woman with grey hair that was pulled back underneath her witch hat walked into the hall. She spoke "Welcome to Hogwarts. Now in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

A boy with chubby cheeks and pointed ears that stuck out jumped forward, pouncing on a frog and exclaiming "Trevor!"

A few kids snickered while the woman looked down at him, causing him to gulp "Sorry."

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily." She told us before entering the hall herself.

We all mumbled and whispered among ourselves, some looking around and trying to get a peek at the nearby corridors. A blonde boy stepped forward, hair slicked back with grey eyes, his eyes passed over us "So it's true then, what they're saying on the train."

Hermione, Ron and I all traded a glance.

"Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." He continued.

People whispered excitedly, little murmurs of 'Harry Potter' was heard. Hermione squeaked slightly "I've read all about him."

Ron looked at me "Wait, isn't your last name Potter?"

"Yes it is, but I don't want to me associated with that bloody Boy-Who-Lived." I growled at him.

He put his hands up in surrender "I was just asking."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just hate him with a burning passion." I said simply.

"This is Crabbe, Goyle," he nodded at each one "and I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron snickered at the name beside me as Hermione stated "James Bond fan is he?"

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others Potter, you don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, I could help you there." He held out his hand.

I peered over a few heads to notice me brother's emerald eyes staring at the hand. His untidy black hair bobbed as he lifted his head back up and smirked. "I'll think about it Malfoy, but probably not." He told the blonde simply.

Malfoy's smirked dropped and was about to speak when the woman walked back in and said softly "We're ready for you now, follow me."

We all filed between two tables and marched down the center of the hall. Many students crammed their necks to see while others pointed out siblings to their friends. Hermione looked up at the ceiling as some had shouted 'Look at the ceiling!'

"It's not a real ceiling. It's bewitched to look like that. I've read all about it in Hogwarts: A History." She explained to the girl who had sat on the boat with us.

We finally made it across the vast hall and we piled around before a small part of the hall that was raised, where the head table sat. In front of the head table was a stool with a hat that sat on top and to the surprise of all of us, it opened at the seam and began to sing:

_"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap"_

The great hall burst in applause and the hat bowed its head in a sort of bow.

The woman from before looked down at a parchment in her hands, unrolled it a bit, and spoke to us "Now when I call your name, you will come forth, I shall place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She picked up the hat and read aloud "BONES, SUSAN."

The girl from earlier walked forward and after a moment the hat yelled_ "HUFFLEPUFF."_

A few more students ran off to their applauding table when the woman called out "GRANGER, HERMIONE."

Hermione froze beside me and I nudged her slightly "You'll be ok."

"What if we're not in the same house?" She asked me.

I smiled at her softly "Don't worry we'll still be friends. Now go up there you bushy haired freak."

"I do not have bushy hair!" She declared as she walked forward.

"Do too." I stuck my tongue out at her.

The hat considered Hermione for a moment before announcing "_GRYFFINDOR_."

"MALFOY, DRACO."

Before the hat had even touched his blinding, slicked back hair the hat yelled_ "SLYTHERIN."_

Malfoy smirked and sauntered off.

"POTTER, HARRY."

The hall immediately hushed causing me to huff and roll my eyes. People craned over the other trying to get of glimpse of the great Boy-Who-Lived. Harry walked calmly up to the stool. We must have stood there for at least five minutes as the hat mummed and Harry looked at it, making him looked cross-eyed.

Finally the hat stopped and Harry looked conflicted. The hat opened its seam and cried "_SLYTHERIN_."

Shocked silence followed as the Boy-Who-Lived made his way to his table, sitting beside a smirking Malfoy. Slowly the Slytherin table exploded into applause while the other houses clapped slowly. I shook my head, of course he would be put in Slytherin. It makes sense. I looked around to the Gryffindor table and caught Hermione's eyes. She widened them in response to my questioning eyebrow.

"Wow." Was all Ron said to me "I wasn't expecting that to be honest with you."

"I didn't either." I told him.

He nodded and smiled at me encouragingly when "POTTER, HOPE." was called.

I felt my whole body freeze and my legs clenched up. I shook my head, let out a deep breath, and marched up to the stool. I turned around to gaze at all the people looking at me in confusion. I know, a second Potter! No way! Well way.

My eyes locked on George's and I winked at him, causing him to chuckle silently.

I plopped onto the stool and flattened my skirt slightly, my eyes were then covered in black as the hat was dropped on my head. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice in my head "Miss Potter."

"Um hello hat." I said with a slight smirk.

"Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult." The hat began "Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?

"I don't know, you're the hat, isn't that your job?" I asked it innocently.

"A bit cheeky aren't we Miss Potter?"

"I don't know, you tell me." I said instantly "That's your job Mr. Hat so chop-chop."

The hat grumbled, a sort of low laugh "You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that."

I wrinkled up my nose in disgust "Oh gross… anywhere other than there! I have to suffer enough already just seeing that prick's face every day now. I could barely stand sharing a house with him."

"Ah Mr. Potter. Difficult to place, like you."

"Yeah, whatever, so where are you going to sort me?"

"So if not Slytherin… where to put you?" The hat asked again.

"That's what I just said! So how about in a house." I stated drawing out the how.

"Alight I got it!" he announced suddenly.

"Where?" I asked him.

"I think you know where Miss Potter. You'll be great Miss Potter, do not forget that your friends are always there for you. Love is your greatest asset."

I nodded "I won't. Thanks."

"Better be... _GRYFFINDOR!" The hat yelled._

The hat was taken off my head as the Gryffindor house screamed and applauded, the Weasley twins crying 'We got Potter, we got Potter.'

I grinned as the other houses applauded a little less enthusiastically. I walked pass Ron who gave me a thumbs up casing me to grin and nod towards the stool, he was almost up. I sashayed over and sat down between Hermione and George. He laughed and put an arm around my shoulders and squeezed them. I blushed slightly and missed the look Hermione sent my way. I was soon shaking hands with as many people as I could reach around and was being introduced to another of Ron's siblings, Percy. Or Perfect Prefect Percy as Fred and George call him.

"WEASLEY, RONALD."

We all shut up fairly quick and looked over at Ron who had sat on the stool. The hat seemed to barley even think about it before exclaiming "_GRYFFINDOR_."

Ron looked relieved and hopped off the stool and made his way towards us, taking the seat next to Percy and across from us. We all grinned at each other, we were all in Gryffindor.

Once everyone had been sorted, the woman from before tapped her goblet with a spoon and sat back down as the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore stood up and announced, opening his hands out wide "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

Food appeared on the silver and gold plates. All sorts of food you could imagine, including meats, vegetables, rolls, salads, desserts, and many more. Along with a small selection of juice and milk. The hall bubbled into life, students yelling over others to be heard. Many people like Ron were stuffing food onto their plate and shoveling it into their mouths.

I glanced at Hermione who was watching Ron with disgust. I asked "Is he — a bit mad?" thinking about the welcoming speech.

Percy heard me and started at me "Mad? He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Hope?"

He nodded towards the potatoes just as Hermione burst into laughter.

I glared at her "Hush up Granger!"

She wiped away a tear "I didn't say anything!"

"But I knew what you were thinking!" I cried.

Hermione simply rolled her eyes and allowed herself some more peas. I looked at Ron who had two chicken drumsticks, one in each hand, taking turns eating each of them. I started at him "Hey earth to Ron. How do you do that!?"

"Do what?" he asked through a mouthful of food.

I shake my head at him "That's gross Ron."

He ignored me and continues to eat as if there was no tomorrow.

I looked at George "So, what do you Gryffindors do for fun?"

Fred looked over at me as he and his twin exchange a look "Depends on what kind of person you are."

"Well Ron says you guys like to pull pranks. Got any room for one for prankster?" I raised my eyebrow and took a bite of some broccoli.

The twins glanced at each other again, then looked back at me with wide grins "Let's see what you got Potter."

I glance over at my brother who was talking with Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, but mostly Daphne. I grinned "Alright. You'll see how great I am later Weasleys."


	4. The Classes

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! I guess I do own Hope though. **

**Thank you for all the follows, reviews, favorites and such! It means a lot! So I must thank you all for staying with me while I was on vacation. I know I could have posted earlier if I had really tried, but I wont lie to you all. I got about a page or two done. Out of ten... But this is my longest chapter yet so I hope that stands for something!**

**I do realize the classes aren't in the right order or with the right houses, if you notice that problem, or if it is a problem. But whatever, just wanted to point it out in case people DO have a problem because that's the way I want to do it so THERE! Also Ritchie Coote, Demelza Robins are real Gryffindors, they joined the Quidditch team when Harry was Captain. **

**Oh I also don't own any of the Songs either, that belongs to its rightful owners. And about how it came in, I've been told I burst into song often and couldn't help but add it. I couldn't help it :/ **

Percy had lead us to the Gryffindor common room. We had met the Fat Lady, who was as titled, a fat lady in a portrait. We had to tell her the password and she would open the portrait she hung in and it would reveal a hole that lead to the common room.

It was cozy with a fireplace in the middle of one of the larger walls, chairs and desks were arranged everywhere and off to the side was two set of stairs and levels. One side was for the girls, the other boys, and there was seven levels for each. The walls and furniture were covered in a warm red, gold dotting around on various things.

Percy told us how our luggage was already in front of our beds and our animals as well, but our owls were up in the owlery.

Hermione and I bid good night to everyone, practically running up the stairs and onto the first level. We opened the door to reveal five four-poster beds with red drapes and blankets, the pillows a soft gold. The walls and carpet were red as well. Five trunks sat before each bed and I noticed Hermione's trunk was on the opposite side of the room as mine.

"Oh no that won't do." I grabbed her trunk handle and pushed it over to the bed next to mine and then shoved the other in front of the one nearest the door.

Hermione smiled "Good, I'd hate to be so close to the door!"

I plopped down on the soft blankets and grabbed a pillow, tucking it beneath my head "We're finally here Mon'."

"I know Hope. It's amazing." She agreed, sitting down on her bed.

"I wonder who we share a dorm with." I wondered aloud.

"Well I heard a girl named Parvati something get into Gryffindor." Hermione said as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Oh." I said simply.

The door to the dormitory opened and a girl with dirty blonde hair and brown eye came through. My heart stopped. It was the girl from the train.

She looked at us and smiled "I'm Lavender Brown." She looked at me again "Hey you were the girl on the train!"

I nodded just as Hermione coughed to hide a giggle.

"Yeah… Well I'm Hope Potter." I told her politely.

"I know who you are." She told me.

"I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said with a friendly air.

"Of course you are." Lavender said simply.

She looked around the room and hopped into her bed, the one nearest the door, and sat crossed legged. She smiled "So girls, find any cute guys?"

I huffed in disbelieve "It's the first day of school, not the very first day even. Why would I be scouting for any boy candy?"

"But some of them are so CUTE!" Lavender practically squealed. She jumped up with a twirl and dug around in her trunk "Have you seen your brother Hope? I mean mmm, so cute! How about Dean Thomas, Gryffindor too! Oh, and that Ronald Weasley ain't half bad!"

She pulled out a bottle of crimson nail polish and began to spread it on her nails. "I just knew I'd be in Gryffindor, my parents were too. So I have lots of red clothes and stuff. But of course I've got blue, green and yellow too just in case I got into another house."

Hermione had gotten her 'Hogwarts: A History' out halfway through the ranting and was currently browsing through the information on the magical properties taken to ensure muggles couldn't find this place.

I stared at Lavender with wide eyes, it seemed she hadn't even stopped for air. The door opened and another girl came through. She had darker skin, dark brown hair and light brown eyes. She smiled at us before finding her bed and sitting down. "Hi, I'm Parvati Patil."

Hermione looks up from her book "I'm Hermione Granger."

"Hope Potter." I greeted with a smile.

Parvati looked at Lavender who was blowing on her nails furiously "I'm Lavender Brown."

Parvati smiled "I love the color of your nail polish, it's very pretty."

"Thanks." Lavender said happily "Want to try it? I'm nearly done."

"Really? Sure, thanks" Parvati said.

"So have you seen any cute guys?" Lavender asked her, batting her eyelashes.

I groaned and watched as Hermione opened up her book again. I crawled slowly across my bed to my trunk and fished around in it. I grabbed 'The Dark Arts Outsmarted' and with one final glance at the two girls, opened the book, and was lost in my own little world. The last words I heard were "Ok, there's this one guy. He's in Gryffindor, names Seamus Finnigan."

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I had fallen asleep in the midst of my book, my back curved over my legs, book discarded to the footboard. I looked around the room, Lavender, Parvati and Hermione were fast asleep while a girl I hadn't met yet was already awake and watching me with blue eyes, brown hair pulled into a ponytail.

"Hi." She said shyly.

I nodded at her, not fully awake "Hello." I said through a yawn.

"I'm Fay Dunbar." she told me.

"Nice too meet you, I'm Hope Potter."

"As in Harry Potter's sister?" She questioned innocently.

"Yeah he's my brother."

"What a shock it must have been for him to get into Slytherin huh?"

"Sort of, sort of not."

She nodded in understanding. She stretched out her arms and moved her legs over the side of her bed. She slung her book bag over her shoulder and tightened her ponytail "Well, I'm off to breakfast. It was nice to meet you."

"You too."

I sat there with a blank expression for several minutes before groaning and flopping over on my bed. The sheets puffed out around me and I rolled around them, tangling my feet in the blankets. I stretched out my back and went to roll over once more, but instead, fell off the side of the bed with a muffled scream. The plush red carpet cushioned my fall. I arose from the cocoon and looked around, rubbing my eyes. With an overly dramatic sigh, I pulled myself up, dug around in my trunk for my bag of toiletries, and walked over to the girls showers. I walked in, said hello to a seventh year as she walked out and turned the spray to warm.

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After my shower I headed down to the common room, noting the lack of students up on the first day. The clock nearby showed it was 5:13 AM, two hours till first lesson, and fifteen minutes until breakfast. I passed three boys who were doubled over a table, whispering furiously, one glancing up at me as I walked by. I chose a loveseat near the fireplace and curled up, propping my book on my knee and holding it up with my hand while the other was jammed into my cheek.

Half an hour later I was so engrossed in my book I hadn't noticed the three boys get up from their table and make their way towards me. All three plopped down onto the couch opposite me, resting their heads on their hands. One leaned forward ever so slightly and watched me, waiting for me to look up.

I glanced up from my book to flip the page only to be met with bright blue eyes. I gave a soft gasp before recognizing the eyes and rolled my own "Oh ha ha ha, sooo funny."

The boy who startled me was none other than George Weasley and his two sidekicks: his twin Fred and a boy I could only assume was Lee. I was soon assumed right when the boy introduced himself as Lee Jordan. I nodded politely and introduced myself.

"So Hope,"

"how are you liking,"

"Hogwarts so far?"

I stared at them mutely, glancing at Lee with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugged off the encounter as if it was nothing "They do it all the time."

"Oh… well where do I start?! It's amazing!" I told them.

"That it is." One of them agreed.

I groaned suddenly "How do you tell them apart?"

Lee smirked "I've known them for three years and I still mix them up."

I pouted and stared at George, then Fred "You should dye your hair or something."

_ "__Let's see what you got Potter."_

_ "__Alright. You'll see how great I am later Weasleys."_

I smirked suddenly as they both grasped their heads with fake looks of horror "We would never!"

'Maybe not voluntarily' I thought.

Just then Hermione decided to make her appearance, hair slightly damp, uniform on and book bag across her shoulder. She smiled at me, giving me a slightly quizzed look, but it quickly disappeared "Hi Hope."

"Hey Hermione, nice sleep?" I questioned the girl.

She smiled "Yeah, you?"

I nodded in agreement "Yeah."

Fred, George, and Lee traded a look and stood up, announcing they had some 'important business' to look into. But by the mischievous looks they traded, it could be anything but.

I watched them walk away, eyes lingering on the slightly taller twin without realizing it. I turned to look at Hermione who had cleared her throat "Breakfast?"

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Hermione and I made our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. We passed Ron's older brother, Percy, on the way. We sat down at the Gryffindor table and proceeded to place food on our plates. Picking a few pieces of toast and a bowl of cereal.

I looked around the hall, which had started to fill with the rest of the Hogwarts' population, and noticed a boy sitting at the Hufflepuff table looking my way. He had light brown hair and large hazel eyes, he looked about twelve-thirteen. He started when he noticed our eyes had locked. I giggled and waved at him, to which he blushed slightly and waved back before turning around sharply.

I turned to Percy, who had just sat down "Hey Percy, who's he?"

He looked in the direction I was pointing "Oh, that's Cedric Diggory, great lad he is, a second year."

I nodded "Thanks."

"What classes do you think we have today?" Hermione asked me.

I took a large bite out of my toast and crammed a spoonful of cereal in my mouth, looking quite ladylike I must assure you, and replied "I duffno… We gotfa wat fer our schedfules."

Hermione scrunched up her nose "Gross Hope, you're just like Ronald."

I swallowed and was about to speak when I felt a hand pat my head a few times before George sat beside me, his twin sitting beside him "Hey guys."

"Hey." I replied, eyeing them suspiciously "Where did you two disappear to? Important business aye?"

The twins snickered before piling food on their plates. I rolled their eyes at their antics, once more longing to have a great relationship like that with my own sibling, but knowing it would most likely never happen.

Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House, Deputy Headmistress, and Transfiguration Professor, walked around the table handing out timetables. She gave the twins a calculating look before handing Hermione, Ron and I our own. We each glanced over the schedule "Well we got Transfiguration first, then Potions, then lunch, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and finally Charms."

"Ugh." Lavender groaned suddenly, having just looked at her schedule and overhead us "We've got that all with the Slytherins."

"All but Charms," I said cheerily, trying to cheer her up slightly "we got that with the Ravenclaws."

"It won't be that bad." Hermione spoke up.

"Yeah! Hakuna Matata my friend!" I cried.

"Akuna mahwata?" She asked bewildered.

"Oh my gosh yes!" Hermione said happily.

"It means no worries for the rest of your days! It's our problem-free philosophy! Hakuna Matata!" We both burst out in song.

"Uh Hakuna Matata?" Fred asked suddenly, having overheard, leaning around George to see us.

"Yeah." I chirped "It's our motto."

"A motto?" A first year I remembered as Neville asked "What's a motto."

"Nothin'. What's a-motto with you?" Hermione asked him with a smile.

The three wizards and one witch stared at us with blank expressions.

"Oh come on guys! The Lion King!? It's a classic!" I said exasperated.

"A lion? Being a king?" Lavender asked.

"So like is he king of just the lions or-"A twin asked.

"-or off everybody?" The other finished.

"Why is the lion's motto Hakuna Matata?" Neville questioned.

"Wait? You both burst into song, do the lions so that?" A voice asked from across the table.

"So then that would mean the lions can sing?" A second person asked confused.

"The lions the top of the food chain right? Why would they have problems?" A girl called out.

"Whoa whoa whoa! How can the damn thing talk?! Much less sing!" A boy yelled out puzzled.

I stared at Hermione with wide eyes, trading glances with the other Muggleborn or Muggle-raised kids. I groaned "What have I started!?"

"So who's the lion talk- err singing with?" A boy from Hufflepuff asked me, leaning over on his side.

"Uh a meerkat and a warthog…" I trailed off.

"Seriously! A meerkat and a warthog!? But the lions is… well-just that! A lion!" A Ravenclaw girl argued.

"He has a name!" A Muggle-raised girl yelled among the raised voices "It's Simba!"

"Simba?! Who the hell names their kid Simba?" The same boy from earlier yelled.

"Who the hell names their kid Ritchie?" A girl his age asked playfully, her voice raised.

Ritchie glared at her "Oh shush it Demelza!"

"A singing lion named Simba…" Someone trailed off.

"Wait! I've heard of him before, ain't his Uncle's name Scar?"

"Scar!? The lion!"

"Oh my god." I groaned.

"Let's just go back to the common room. We got time before classes." Hermione suggested.

I nodded "Alright, I got to get my books too."

We both stood to and looked around at the arguing Gryffindors, close Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and surprisingly a few Slytherins. A few teachers were keeping an eye on the group, in case things got worse. But honestly, how did this even start! It's a child's film!

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First class was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. I don't believe I went into much detail with her. She was older, aged skin and graying hair always pulled into a painfully tight bun. She has hazel eyes that were warm and nice, though you could tell her class was no walk in the park. She was strict, but from what I've heard from the other students, she loved her 'lions' and protected them fiercely.

Hermione and I arrived to class right on time, a few Gryffindor and Slytherins already there. We took seats near the front of the class and looked around the class for the teacher. All there was, besides various animals in cages, was a grey and black tabby cat sitting on the teacher's desk. She, I was assuming that is, had black marks along her body, black marking around her eyes like glasses. Her tail flicked side to side as she surveyed the class.

More students filled in, my brother being one of them, though he did come in with Daphne Greengrass instead of Malfoy. His eyes met mine and he gave me a soft smile before turning to get his things out of his bag. I frowned.

I bell tolled somewhere in the background, announcing the start of our first period. We all twitched in our seats, waiting. The cat's tail twitched again.

Just when we thought she was going to be no-show, the doors burst open and Ron, Dean and Seamus ran in out of breath. Hermione gave me a look, rolling her eyes, her bushy hair swaying. The boys' feet clomped loudly on the stone floor. "We—made it." Ron said out of breath.

"Can you imagine the look on McGonagall's face if we were late?" Dean asked.

Just then the cat sat up on all fours and leapt off the desk. Mid jump, the cat started to change into something. A human. Professor McGonagall to be exact.

"Whoa, an Animagus." Hermione whispered in awe.

"That was bloody brilliant." Ron said in breathless awe, though I think the breathlessness was more due to running than to the fact that his teacher was a cat just moments ago.

"Why thank you for that assessment Mr. Weasley. Perhaps it would be more useful to transfigure Mr. Thomas, Mr. Finnigan and yourself into a pocket watch? That way one of you might be on time." She scolded lightly.

"We got lost. Seamus explained.

"Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats?" She raised an eyebrow before turning back to her desk to teach us how to turn a match into a needle.

Hermione managed to change her match to have a needle point, the only one in the class to make a difference in the match. I think I must have broken several of them, then I got frustrated and made a little house out of the broken ones when McGonagall wasn't looking.

We then had potions, which we still had with the Slytherins. Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin House, had greasy black hair and nearly black eyes. His class was going to be hard, no doubt about that, but the other students say he's mean and very strict. To all but the Slytherins of course, it's like he's in love with them, they never get points docked and they never get in trouble. Never. But he just enjoys badgering all the other students from the opposite house, and since we share potions with the snakes, that happens to be us.

But let's get one, or two, things straight. He hates me and a certain black-haired snake. He doesn't just dislike us or anything, he bloody hates the Potter twins with a burning passion you see in his pitch black eyes. And you know how hard it is to see things in pitch black?

The class started in the dungeons, which were bloody freezing and creepy, mind the pickled animals all over the room in jars. Gross. He read over the roll and paused at Harry's name "Ah yes, Harry Potter our new _celebrity_."

He eyes paused on my name and his eyes flicked to mine, his widening slightly. His surprise quickly disappeared and he smirked again "And Miss Potter, what a lovely surprise."

He then read the rest of the roll and strolled to the head of the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making—"and the rest of his stupid speech was lost in a haze I like to call my imagination. Looks like I wasn't the only one, if the next yell was any indication.

"Mr. Potter! Pay attention. If you so keen to not pay attention, you must already be a master in potions eh? What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape called suddenly.

Harry looked up slightly started, but replied steadily "Asphodel and wormwood together make a sleeping potion, so powerful, that it is known as the Draught of Living Death."

"Correct." Snape drawled with a frown. He then turned over to me "Miss Potter, Where would you look if you wanted to find a bezoar?"

I raised a delicate eyebrow "A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat and are a fast and effective way of curing most poisons."

"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" He asked finally.

I looked over at Harry who had been waiting for me to look at him. I nodded and opened my mouth "Well Monkshood and wolfsbane are basically the same thing."

"Also known as Aconite, they are a type of plant that has a bright purple flower. The plant itself is poisonous." Harry added.

"As well in the early days people have tried grinding it up and placing it on raw meat in order to kill werewolves. Just in case you wanted to know." I smirked at him slightly.

The rest of the class stared at us with wide eyes. Snape just started at us both with an odd look on his face.

"Well sir you never specified _who_ you wanted to answer the question." Harry told him.

Snape's eye twitched as he seemed to take control over himself "Partner up! Gryffindor with a Slytherin since I'm feeling like house unity today."

I huffed at that 'house unity my butt'.

"Potter with Potter! Longbottom with Crabbe! Granger with Malfoy! Weasley with Parkinson!" And the shouting went on.

Harry made his way to my table, taking all of his stuff and plopping it down. He set up his ingredients and such, me copying his actions. Snape had us do a simple potion to cure boils.

He swept around with his long black cloak and watched us as we crushed snake fangs and weighted dried nettles. He criticized everyone except for Hermione and Malfoy, and we all knew it was because of Snape's likeness to Malfoy that saved the girl from his nitpicking.

I picked up a horned slug and grimaced at Harry "Oh god that's disgusting."

Harry smirked as he took it from my hand and added a few into the pot, stewing them. "Yeah, well they're great for pranks." He replied offhandedly.

My head snapped to look at him, my dislike of him disappearing just like that "Pranks–"

Just then a strange hissing filled the room, Crabbe's cauldron crumpling into a molten mess of goo. The potion seeped onto the floor, into people's shoes, and before you knew it everyone was on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the fluid, moaned in pain.

Snape was over here in an instant, grabbing Neville off the floor "Stupid boy! I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville cried as boils appeared all over his skin.

Snape handed Neville off to Hermione, who was sitting at the table beside them "Take him to the hospital wing!"

He then rounded on me and Harry "Potters, why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?" I raised an eyebrow at him "Thought he'd made you look good?"

I peered at Harry who was just as confused as I was. Then to the shock of most of the Slytherins, Snape did one thing he never does.

Well actually he did the first thing quite a lot, but the second was a totally different thing.

"A point from Gryffindor," pause "and Slytherin."

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. As was the next.

Defense against the Arts was an interesting subject in itself, but the lesson? A joke. Professor Quirrell's classroom and his person for that matter smelled strongly of garlic, George reckons he is a vampire in disguise, using the garlic scent as a show that he himself wasn't a vampire. The turban around his head was supposedly from an African prince as a thank-you gift for getting rid of a zombie. No one believed that story. The turban also had a funny smell around it, which Fred swore was filled with garlic, warding off a vampire he had once encountered and was trying to make sure it didn't come back after him.

Charms was definitely a more interesting class. Taught by Professor Flitwick, a small wizard who had to stand on a stack of books to be seen from behind his desk. I swear the man had casted a cheering spell on himself gone wrong, making it permanent. He was just a little bundle of joy.

History of Magic I've decided was my life's dream. Professor Brinns was the teacher, a ghost who'd fell asleep in front of a staffroom fire and the next day got up to teach, leaving his body behind. He droned on and on and on while we scribbled down names and dates. Trying out hardest not to fall asleep. Hope you noted the sarcasm when I said I've found this subject my lifelong dream.

Herbology was taught by a dumpy witch named Professor Spout. We learned to take care of plants and fungi, some were quite strange, and what they were used for and how to care for them.

Astronomy we had on Wednesdays at midnight. We learned the names of various stars and the movement of the planets.

The next day we had flying lessons. Which I couldn't wait to go to minus the one flaw. We had it with the Slytherins.


	5. Flying Lessons

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, ect. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! I guess I do own Hope though.**

**I also do realize how awfully long it took me to write this. Well actually, it took me five hours to finish, but I never had the time to write and had a tiny bit of writer's block. :/ Sorry for how long it took me guys, I have finals next week, so please cut me some slack! Christmas break is in a week though! Yay. **

_**'**Italics**' Writing other than story **_

Today Hermione and I sat at the table for breakfast and watched as the owls flew in, much like a large avalanche. I was used to not getting owls by now, so I was surprised when I spotted Hedwig's white feathers, and she landed next to the marmalade.

She twittered at me happily, nipping my fingers. I smiled at her "Hi there Hedwig, what cha got for me?"

I grabbed the letter from her beak and she waited patiently for the reply. I handed her a piece of bacon before tarring open the scroll. In untidy scrawl was wrote:

_Dear Hope,_

_I know you have some time after lunch before your flying lessons, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around two? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig._

_Hagrid._

I dug around in my bag and grabbed a quill. I wrote back 'yes please, see you later' on the back of the original letter. I handed it to Hedwig who immediately took off.

A shout was heard across the table from Neville "It's a Remembrall! Gran knows I forget if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red… oh."

I looked at Hermione and sighed "Yay… more lessons."

"I know!" Hermione nearly squealed "We've got Astronomy later too!"

"Yeah but at MIDNIGHT! I need my beauty sleep." I whined.

"Oh gosh–you're fine Hope."

"But at least we have flying lessons! I can't-" I stopped.

Fred Weasley took that moment to walk into the Great Hall, face slightly flushed. The hall hushed suddenly, eyes tracking him as he made his way towards me. He stopped right behind me, I turned to face him "Aw now don't you look dashing today."

Fred's once red/orange hair was now a thick ink black.

"Why!" Fred asked me loudly.

You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet.

"Why what?" I asked innocently.

"You dyed our hair! I remember it now, yesterday morning, you said you wanted to dye our hair to tell us apart!" Fred cried.

"I did didn't I." I tapped my chin thoughtfully.

"And it won't. Spell. Out!"

"I know! I used a secret spell." I winked at him.

"But- but-" Fred stuttered "We are the pranksters! Us! The Weasley Twins! We never get pranked back!"

"Technically you didn't get pranked BACK. You never pranked me, I just pranked you." I told them as if taking to a small child.

George Weasley walked in at that moment, a grin plastered to his face. His hair was now a bright blue, the same exact shade to match those beautiful clear eyes of his… Wait, beautiful? Where'd that come from?

He made his way over and sat down beside me "Welcome to the team Red."

I grinned at him "Really!? I get too?"

George nodded, piling eggs onto his plate "Yup."

Fred stared at his brother "George?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Wh-what?" Fred asked, still trying to process all of this.

"She asked the first day if we wanted an extra prankster. We dared her to show us what she's got. She pranked us. She got in."

Fred just shook his head in defeat, running his hand through ink black hair "Really Hope? Black? Of ALL colors, black."

I shrugged "I've always wondered what a Weasley would look with Potter black hair."

"Can you at least change it back?" He asked.

I shook my head, smiling at him mischievously "That I can't do my dear friend. Tis a prank and you shall wear it proudly. But don't worry, it'll fade to your ginger-ness by the end of the day."

"Better." George muttered from a mouthful of bacon.

I smiled at him sweetly "But I like your hair blue, matches your eyes!"

He laughed at me and shook his head in amusement. He grabbed his twin and sat him forcefully down on the bench, motioning at the empty plate beside him.

I looked at Hermione whose eyes twinkled with mirth "You done?"

I nod "Yeah, let's get to classes."

We both walked out of the hall as the rest of the students stared at us. The Weasley Twins have been pranked. By a little red-haired, first year girl, none the less.

CcCcCc

When the last lesson was over, the parchment and quills tossed into bags and ink bottles sealed and stowed away, we headed off to lunch. A few hastily ate sandwiches and several cookies later, we were on our way to see Hagrid. Me having to drag Hermione along, persisting she wasn't going to intrude.

Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest, A crossbow sat on the ground near his door. I knocked. Several booming barks and some scrambling from behind the door was heard before Hagrid's voice yelled "Back, Fang, back."

The door was pulled open and Hagrid's face was shown "Back, Fang."

Fang was an enormous black boarhound, tugging at the hand Hagrid had around his collar. When we entered, I noticed it was an only room house, hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling, a kettle atop a burning fire, and in the corner was a massive bed.

"Make yerselves at home." Said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight for Hermione and licked her hand.

"This is Hermione." I told Hagrid, who had started to pour boiling water into a teapot and setting rock cakes onto a plate.

He glanced up "Why ello Hermione."

Hermione smiled shyly "Hello Hagrid."

Hermione and I pretended to enjoy the rock cakes, which were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke your teeth, as we explained our first week of school. Fang keeping his head on my knee, drooling all over my skirt.

We were both delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch 'that old git'.

"And as fer tha' cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her ta Fang. D'yeh know, every time I get up ter the school, she follows me everywhere. Can't get rid of her, Filch puts her up ter it."

I told Hagrid about Snape's lessons and his drilling on me and Harry, but he simply told me that Snape liked hardly any of his students.

I frowned "But he really seems to hate us Hagrid!"

"Rubbish! Why should he?" Hagrid asked, quite not meeting my eyes. He turned to Hermione "So yer parents are muggles? Dent-er-denterists?"

"Dentists." Hermione pronounced, then began to explain seeing Hagrid's confused look "They're,"

I couldn't help that think Hagrid changed the subject on purpose. I picked up a piece of paper near me, it was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST _

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. _

_Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._

_"__But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._

I remembered Ron mentioning to us that someone had tried to break into Gringotts, but had never mentioned the date.

I stared at Hagrid "Hagrid! The Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

Now I knew that Hagrid deliberately didn't look into my eyes. He grunted and offered me another rock cake. I reread the story 'The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day'. Hagrid had emptied vault 713, if you call grabbing a small brown package emptying. Was that what the thieves were looking for? If Headmaster Dumbles wanted it, it must be important.

Hermione and I said our goodbyes around three, our pockets weighed down with rock cakes we couldn't refuse, heading towards the Quidditch pitch for flying lessons. Tea with Hagrid had given me lots to think about. Had Hagrid gotten the package just in time? Where was it now? And what was Hagrid hiding from me about Snape?

CcCcCc

Even I could tell Quidditch was a big deal, even if I was raised by Muggles. Draco Malfoy boasted stories of him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. Seamus Finnigan said he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around his countryside home. Ronald Weasley would tell people he had almost hit a hang glider on his Brother Charlie's old broom. Even Harry Potter had mentioned in Defense Against the Dark Arts how he'd grown up on a broom. Everyone from wizard families talked about Quidditch constantly.

Though most witches and wizards favored the flying sport, there were some that tended to want their feet firmly on the ground. Neville Longbottom for instance had never been allowed on a broom, his grandmother deeming it unsafe, though I'm sure it's more to the fact that the boy has an extraordinary amount of accidents on his record already. But in his opinion, there's no finer place than the ground. Hermione was also nervous about flying and we both know, no matter how many books she reads on flying, it will never fully prep her for the real thing.

The sky was clear with a light breeze, stands of my hair flying in my face. I spat out a piece that had landed in my mouth "Yuck."

Hermione looked at me "Oh look, all of the Slytherins are already here."

"Suck ups." I muttered.

The Slytherins were grouped around the grass, along with twenty school broomsticks, which like the twins said, where crooked and rumpled. Slowly but surely the rest of the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins made their way towards us and we all surrounded the teacher, Madam Hooch, who was a short woman who had gray hair and yellow eyes.

"Well what are you all waiting for? Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." She barked.

Ron stood to Hermione's left while I took her right, Harry standing on the other side of me. I sent him a half-smile which he returned.

"Stick your right hand over your broom and say 'up'." She commanded.

"UP." Everyone shouted.

My broom shot up into my hand right away, so did Harry's, and a few others. Hermione's flopped over limply while Neville's hadn't even moved. Madam Hooch showed us how to mount our brooms without falling off the end and walked up and down the line readjusting grips. I smirked when I heard her tell Malfoy he had been doing it wrong for years. Harry looked at me "Finally something pretty boy can't do right."

"To right my friend, to right." I agreed. Wait, did I just call him my friend? Was he even?

Harry seemed to ignore it for the most part and kept on listening to Madam Hooch's instructions.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." She told us "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle—three—two—"

Neville had left the ground before the whistle had even touch Madam Hooch's lips. "Come back boy!" She cried, but Neville was shooting straight upward. You could see his scared white face look down at the ground and watched as he slid off the broom sideways.

WHAM— and he slammed into the unforgiving earth. His broom started to lazily drift toward the forbidden forest.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face white as well "Broken wrist. Come on boy, it's alright up you get."

She turned to us "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. (Someone muttered Quidditch which was responded with a few snickers.) Come on dear."

I shook my head "Poor guy."

But Malfoy had other ideas, as soon as they were out of earshot, had burst out laughing. Most of the Slytherins joining in. "Did you see his face, the great lump?"

"Shut up Malfoy." I snapped.

"Ooh sticking up for Longbottom?" Said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Potter."

"Look!" Malfoy exclaimed, lurching forward and grabbing something from the grass "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

Harry sighed "Come on Draco, give it here."

"Oh come on Potter, just having a bit of fun." Malfoy smirked "I think I'll play a little game with Longbottom. Hide-and-seek? I could put it up in a tree?"

"Malfoy." Harry started only to have Malfoy jump on his broom and shoot to the topmost branches of a nearby oak. Malfoy called down "Come and get it Potter."

Harry went to grab his broom and was about to mount when I grabbed his wrist and hissed "Don't you dare. Malfoy's just baiting you, we can magic the Remembrall down. Besides, if anything, you'll be the one who gets in trouble. Madam Hooch could walk out any second."

Our emerald eyes locked and we shared a moment of silence before he lightly shrugged my hand off and shoot off. He soared towards Malfoy, emitting whoops from the boys and gasps from the girls. He sharply turned towards Malfoy "Come on Draco. Besides, no Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck."

Malfoy frowned "Catch it if you can then!" He threw the glass ball into the air and streaked toward the ground.

Harry's eyes tracked the ball and he shot after it, hand leaning out to grab the ball determinedly in his grasp. He did a graceful loop in the air before landing lightly on the ground, tossing the ball from hand to hand, watching Malfoy with a grin.

"HARRY POTTER!"

We all winced, a kid muttered 'dammit, who was keeping watch?'

"Just because you're our new celebrity…" Snape drawled as he made his way towards us. "Doesn't mean you can disobey the rules."

"It wasn't his fault Professor." A Gryffindor just defended a Slytherin.

"Be quiet, Miss Patil."

"But Malfoy—"

"That's enough Mr. Weasley." And another Gryffindor. "Follow me now Potter."

Harry was smirking at Malfoy still, though he was just caught breaking a rule by the most hated professor at Hogwarts. He turned to wink at me, tossing me the Remembrall, as he followed the professor. I caught the ball effortlessly, still watching the retreating Slytherin.

Then, everything catching up to me, I twisted on my heel and slammed my fist into the face of one Draco Malfoy. Something I've wanted to do since I've met him.

CcCcCc

I sat in Professor McGonagall's office, twitching my leg nervously. She stared down at me from behind her glasses, leaning her rump against her desk. She watched me as I looked around her office, and held my gaze when I finally turned to her innocently.

"Miss Potter, do you know why you're in my office right now?" She began.

I smiled even more innocently, curling a strand of hair behind my ear "Not really Professor."

"You punched Mr. Malfoy in the face." She told me mildly.

I frowned "Yeah—but he took Neville's Remembrall and then got Ha- Potter in trouble because of it."

"I must assure you all Mr. Potter got was a mild detention." She informed me "Which you will be serving with him by the way. As for Mr. Longbottom's Remembrall, you could have gone to a teacher for help."

I sighed "Yeah I know, that's what I told Potter too, but by then he would have either broken it or lost it."

McGonagall frowned at me.

"Besides," I pressed "when Neville fell of the broom and all… Malfoy laughed… at him." I didn't realize where I was going with that protest, but it came out sounding weak and pathetic. "Oh whatever! I punched him! End of story."

"Violence is never the answer Miss Potter."

"Well in that moment of my life, it was." I shot back.

Professor McGonagall sniffed disapprovingly at me "Well Miss Potter you have four days detention with Filch," I blanched "along with fifty points taken from Gryffindor for attacking another student."

"Well is Malfoy at least getting punished!" I asked slightly outraged.

McGonagall just gave me a pointed stare "You may leave now Miss Potter, your detention starts tomorrow night."

I grumbled 'good bye' and walked out of her room dragging my feet, slamming the door with more force than I had intended. McGonagall reopened the door and glared at me. I smiled at her weakly, shrugging "Oops. Sorry."

First week of school and I already have my first weeks' worth of detention, first 'flying' lesson, made some friends, gained some enemies and learned that punching students will get you a weeks' worth of detention and the docking of fifty house points. I guess I just have to be sneakier next time. Or maybe I need to learn how to punch harder. Either way, it was defiantly worth it.


	6. Detention and Quidditch

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. I guess I do own Hope though.**

**Ugh, I'm so sorry for how long it's been taking me to write. I know I've had an excuse, finals, and I still do. But know it's this. I'm moving. It just occurred to me what an awful time I had picked to start a new story. My room has more crap in it that my parent's and brother's combined. It's gonna take me forever! **

**I'm super sorry again and my goal is to get at least the next chapter up before I move which is in the first week of January. If I don't, I give you permission to yell and to hate me. Thanks for sticking to this and reading it! Please Review, Favorite and Follow! And stuuuuff… ^-^**

Hermione sniffed at me disapprovingly when I had told her about my detention. She didn't talk to me at dinner or at breakfast the next day. During our free period she only talked to me about our homework and various pieces of otherwise boring knowledge. She had her head in a book the whole time, looking at me with that look of hers when I tried to talk to her. It was around dinner when she had finally talked to me.

"Well 'Mon, it's off to o' detention." I told her as I finished my plate.

She looked up from her book "Good. I think you deserve it. Even if it was Malfoy, you shouldn't have punched him."  
>"You kiddin'?" a voice asked "That git deserved every last bit. What Hope did was brilliant. Wished I would have thought of it."<p>

The person who had spoken was none other than Ronald Weasley. Red hair sticking up and blue eyes watching us from behind the mound on his plate he calls his dinner.

"That's ridiculous!" Hermione said in a gasp "No matter who it is, Slytherin or not, doesn't mean you have to punch them."

Ron shrugged "No one likes Malfoy much, good to knock him down a few pegs."

"This is our first week here." Hermione pointed out "You don't want to get kicked out this early do you? You know how embarrassing that would be?"

I glanced at Ron "Ronald has a point though. Mister high and mighty needs to know he can't just push people around."

Ron nodded in agreement though he did frown at the use of his full name.

I stretched out my legs "Anyway, I gotta go. Don't tear each other apart in my absence!"

Hermione glared at Ron, but nodded at me "Have fun with Filch."

"Oh don't you know it! I'm going to have a blast!" I told her.

CcCcCc

"I'm so bored and we haven't even started!" I complained loudly.

Harry glanced over at me amused "We haven't even been given the cleaning supplies yet."

I groaned and flopped down onto the floor, leaning against a large cabinet. "This is going to take forever! And no magic! But I guess I'm used to it…"

He glanced at me, something flashing across his face so fast I couldn't tell what it was and almost decided it hadn't happened, but there was definitely something. "Especially with Filch's eye. He'll want everything perfectly spotless."

I guess I hadn't thought of that. I groaned again "Damn it!"

Just then Argus Filch walked in, hunched-shoulders, a horrible and pasty face, bulging pale eyes and thin grey hair, giving us an almost malicious smile. His voice was unpleasant as he placed various cleaning items on the ground "A pity they let the old punishments die. I'm still trying to get Dumbledore to let me hang you all from the ceiling by your thumbs."

Harry and I traded a glance.

"I want you to clean all of the trophies. Spotless. And when I come back they better be clean or I'll just have you clean them all again. Now, get to cleaning!" He cast one last warning look at us before hobbling out of the room, his wretched cat, Mrs. Norris, following behind him.

"I'm gonna cry." I stated as I picked up a cleaning solution and a rag, tossing a set to Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes at me, opened the glass windows and picked up a trophy, "1971, M. G. McGonagall. Thinks this person is related to McGonagall?"

I shrugged, scrapping a rag around a cup "Most likely, what is it for?"

"Let's see…" He trailed off "Here it is, this person was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Oh, dads on this too, along with a bloke named R. J.H. King."

"Who's that?" I spat on a stubborn grease mark.

Harry shrugged, wiping the three awards "Dunno, but he was also on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, but in 1969."

I nodded and placed the cup on the shelf and picking up another one "Wonder what they're for…"

"I could always ask dad." Harry replied, glancing towards me.

My hand froze mid-wipe, but I quickly resumed. Why does he still call James my dad? Am I missing something here? I thought they didn't want me anymore, so why still call him my dad?

"Yeah, let me know what he says."

"I will."

We worked a while in complete silence, though it wasn't deafening. It was almost pleasant. We had gotten at least one whole cabinet done, if you counted the half I've done and the half he's done. We were being extra careful and thorough, making sure Filch couldn't make us stay any longer. I bet he will anyway.

I huffed, wiping my sleeve across my brow, and slammed yet another cup onto a shelf.

Harry smirked at me "Now what did that cup do to you?"

"It existed and then made me clean it." I replied.

He snorted, glancing around the room "What time is it?"

I looked upward "Probably thirty minutes from when we got here."

He glanced at me before speaking "So you know yesterday…"

I hummed in agreement, scrapping a rough spot on a plaque with my fingernail and scratching it in the process. I had that 'oh shit' face and glanced at Harry who was staring at a cup and flashed out my wand muttering "Reparo." (1)

"Saw that." He told me with a grin, "But what I was saying was sorry for— going after Malfoy I guess. Not only did I get in trouble, but you did too."

I looked at him in surprise "But I was the one who punched Malfoy. You didn't make me. It was of my consent and of the whole school's consent, but mostly mine."

He rolled his eyes "I know, I'm just—putting it out there."

"Oh. Well, thanks Harry."

"Yeah no problem." He muttered.

"Sooo." I trailed off "How long you got detention?"

"Two days. Snape was pretty pissed though I guess some good came out of it."

"Ah, lucky, I got four." I tucked some hair behind my ear "So, what good came out of it?"

He looked at me with that smirk of his, not quite a Malfoy smirk as we call it, but one of his own "Well you're looking at the youngest seeker in over a century."

I nearly dropped the trophy I had been holding "You're kidding!? That's amazing! But I thought first years weren't allowed to try out for Quidditch."

"Yeah well Snape and Dumbledore both thought it could get bypassed. I don't think anyone knows yet, the Slytherin Teams trying to keep it a secret I think. But I kind of wish I hadn't gotten in, everyone will think I'm getting special treatment because I'm, wait for it,_ the_ Harry Potter."

"I get what you're saying. But anyone could have done that, so think of it as you will, but it's an amazing feat. Congratz."

He smiled "Thanks. I guess I just wanted you to be the first to know."

I smiled "Thanks that means a lot."

"Does it?" He inquired.

"Yup, out of all the people in Hogwarts: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw alike, you choose me."

He laughed "Yeah. Mum and dad don't even know yet."

I grinned "Well you'll sure give James and Pads a heart attack I'm sure, while Lily and Moony will be more of the more mellow ones. Trying to be the more rational and mature of the four."

He looked at me oddly "You still remember that? Their Marauder names I mean."

I nodded "Of course, I'm not stupid. James was Prongs and that rat was Wormtail."

Harry's face darkens at the mention of the rat "Yeah."

"So," I started, changing the topic, "this may sound funny, but I was wondering…"

"Wondering…" He trailed off, looking at me.

"If you could explain it to me. Quidditch I mean. I don't know much about it."

He smiled enthusiastically "I'd love too! Ok, so you want the long or the short version?"

"How longs the long version?" I grabbed the last trophy from my cabinet.

"Well it started way back around the 1050s…" He dragged the 'a' in 'way' out.

I choked on my spit. Classy. "Oh god no! The short version!"

"Thought so. Ok, so there's fourteen players on the pitch at all times. There's the six Chasers, who throw the Quaffle around and try to get it through the poles on each side of the pitch. You got that?"

"Six Chasers and a Quaffle, yeah." I nodded at him.

"The two Keepers watch over the poles and keep the opposing team from scoring. Then there's the four Beaters who knock around the two Bludgers trying to knock the opposing team's players off their broom." I blinked at him. That was a mouthful.

"Two Keepers. Four Beaters and two Bludgers. Got it."

"Lastly there's the two Seekers, that's the position I'll play. They don't do anything throughout the game, but look for the Golden Snitch. The Seeker who catches it first wins their team an additional 150 points and ends the game."

"Ok, two Seekers and the Golden Snitch. Right." I dragged the 'I' in 'right' out.

"I guess that's pretty much it really, since you wanted the short version."

I nodded. Sounded easy enough. Maybe I'd try out for the team next year. "Mkay… thanks."

Harry hummed, wiping the rag around an already shiny plaque.

I wandered over to another cabinet and picked up a small trophy that read 'Tom Riddle'. "Hey Harry, you've ever heard of Tom Riddle? Gotten this for Special Services for the School. Wonder what he did."

Harry walked over and looked at the trophy over my shoulder. He drawled "No idea, but he probably did something along the likes of saving someone from the Whomping Willow."

I snorted "Or saved someone from the Giant Squid."

"Or from the creatures in the Forbidden Forest."

"Or maybe he—"

"PEEVES!" Came a great yell, no doubt from Filch.

We both froze then snickered. "Wonder what he's done now." Harry wondered aloud.

I grinned wildly "Most likely crashed something large and expensive. He's awesome."

Harry gave me an odd look "'Awesome'?"

I nod.

CcCcCc

Let's just say two hours later and a large argument with Filch we were finally done. We left Filch with a bright red face, an enraged cat, a pile of dirty rags, and empty cleaning bottles. We both walked out smelling strongly of lemons and polish, agreeing a shower would do us some good. I had three more days of detention… Oh joy.

**Spells Used In Story:**

(1) Reparo- The mending charm


	7. Three-headed dog

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. I guess I do own Hope though.**

**I'm super sorry for being MIA for so long. I've got my excuses which I stated in the chapter before, but I'm just going to say I'm super sawwy and get on with the chapter. In my opinion defiantly not my best, but hey, I was in a rush to get this out there and hopefully you all haven't left me!**

**Thanks so much for all the reviews, favorites and the follows! Means a lot and makes me want to write more, which I hope to do soon! Remember I did give you permission to yell and hate me if I didn't get one up by the first week on January so… sue me?**

_**ALSO: I've been reading the reviews and i'm glad so many of you like it and for those who don't, would you mind giving more detail as to why you don't so I can fix my mistakes. Like someone pointed out I use the wrong words 'consistently' as they said and I do realize I use wrongs words and I do try to fix them thank you very much. I think I do pretty well for not having a Beta Reader. I'm not a professional writer and at least most people understand what im trying to say, so at least its not that bad. I appreciate all of you who help point out miskates or confusing parts and would like to encourage others to do so. It helps me more than you would think. Thanks **_

**Thanks for sticking to this and reading it! Please Review, Favorite and Follow! And stuuuuff… ^-^**

So the rest of the next day went by pretty much uneventful. The Weasley twins had managed to hook me into a prank that ended with Snape having permanently hot pink hair that cascaded to his shoulders in curls. He and the other teachers have yet to undo it, but the twins have pulled their magic and we haven't gotten caught, or at the very least they have no actual proof we had done it.

Ron, Seamus and Dean had all gotten detention and five points docked each in potions for all misbehaving. Ron and Seamus had paired up together while Dean had snagged Neville and the three, Neville actually trying to get the potions done though we all know he isn't very good at it, had goofed around and ended up exploding their potion and soaking the Gryffindors and Slytherins surrounding them with potion glop. Hermione had pulled a clump of goo from her hair and gave me an irritated look.

I think that's all...

That night right after dinner had ended I bid Hermione goodbye and made my way towards the greenhouses were I would be serving detention with Harry. I met up with Professor Sprout and Harry at the main entrance and we were both lead to Greenhouse three, which we were both excited about because we had never been in there before, only Greenhouse one. I glanced at Professor Sprout as we walked and asked "So this is safe right? I thought first years weren't allowed in Greenhouse three."

"Well Miss Potter I think you and Mr. Potter would be fine in here with me no? You seem to have a handle at Herbology pretty well."

"Not as well as Neville." I added.

Professor Sprout smiled fondly "Yes, such a good lad."

"So what's all in Greenhouse three?" Harry asked excitedly.

"There's several different things in there Mr. Potter, some of the plants being very difficult for a first years so please pay attention. Now, you will be working in the Flora faction, which is basically where all the magical flowers are stored. For your detention you will just have to prune and care for them until I deem you ready and then you may head back to your dormitories. Very simple."

"Says you, I've never gardened in my life. Would never let mum make me." Harry whispered to me.

I rolled my eyes "Oh please, gardening is by far my favorite chore."

"Why?" He asked incredibly.

I shrugged, the greenhouses coming into view "Well it's easier to me I guess and I get to be outside. Easier to get away from the Dursleys too cause they hate the heat."

Harry hummed in thought "I guess there's that. What else do you like to do?"

I thought for a moment "Uh cooking."

Harry looked at me sideways "Yeah?"

I nod "What do you like to do?"

Harry frowned "Uh I like to play Quidditch."

"Oh _really_ Mr. Youngest-Seeker-In-A-Century." I teased.

Harry rolled his eyes "Yes _really_."

"What else." I pushed.

"I don't know really, I play Quidditch a lot. And I mean _a lot_. I pull pranks a lot on dad, Moony and Pads."

I smirked "You'll have to tell me about them sometime."

"Will do." He replied softly.

Professor Sprout interrupted us before our conversation could go any further, telling us we had arrived at the Greenhouse. When she opened the doors and we walked in I didn't know what I expected to be there, but I was certainly disappointed. It looked exactly the same as Greenhouse one, same dirt hiding in any crevice it could and tables and stools sitting around with various plants and herbs surrounding them. The most noticeable difference was the rather large Venomous Tentacula that sat upon the front table, its leafy vines sneaking around the table as it searched for something to grab onto, preferably prey.

Professor Sprout walked towards the plant and tapped one of its vines, causing it to try and snag her hand. She scolded it and turned towards us "Now I'm sure you know what kind of plant this is."

We both nodded, eyes traveling over its giant eyeless head with fangs.

"As you should know the Venomous Tentacula is a very dangerous plant and its poison, if it bites you, is highly fatal. Watch out for his vines as he will try and snatch you, but a quick Diffindo (1) can stun the creature and you can get away." She told us as she slapped away a traveling vine headed for her arm.

She then told us to stay put as she went to go grab the needed supplies. I looked at Harry who was warily watching the Tentacula "Isn't the Diffindo spell taught in second year charm classes?"

Harry nods and I sighed "Then what the heck!?"

Professor Sprout then came back and merrily dumped the supplies on the table and pointed out the section of the Greenhouse that we would be working in. She then left us to our work and went to the front of the Greenhouse to grade some papers. I picked up some sort of rake thing "What is this?"

"Oh you don't know Miss Gardening Expert?" Harry teased as he walked over to the flowers.

"Oh shut it Harry." I swatted at his head as I passed.

I sat down on my knees and peeked in the bushes, snatching some brown leaves. I peeked at Harry who had stopped working and was sniffing the air looking around the Greenhouse "What is that smell?"

I experimentally sniffed the air and raised an eyebrow "That flowery smell?"

"Oh don't look at me like I'm insane." He frowned at me "It doesn't smell like these ones here."

On a hunch I looked up at the ceiling, nobody looks up these days, and tilted my head "Found it."

Above us and attached to the ceiling, their roots and vines overflowing from an overhead open window, where giant flowers. The colors ranged from orange, red and yellow and looked exactly like umbrellas. And remember how I said 'giant' flowers, I mean it, they were huge! At least three feet from the diameter of the flower and the petals folded down quite a ways down the five inch thick stem.

Harry started at them with wide eyes "That would be 'em."

"Umbrella flowers." I stated in awe, remembering the name from some book Neville was telling me about and I couldn't help but think that the name was quite fitting.

"Umbrella flowers? Fitting name you think?" Harry mussed.

I nodded "Yeah, it is. Those things are huge!"

Harry bobbed his head a little "They are."

We worked awhile more in silence, the only noise was of the clipping of leaves and the humming of Sprout. I felt Harry look at me a moment or two everyone in a while, which was getting pretty annoying, but I ignored it and continued to work, guessing he would speak when he wanted to. But when he finally did speak I wasn't expecting what he said.

"So you know this morning at breakfast, Malfoy somehow found out I was the new seeker, so he was all peeved and stuff so he challenged me to a Wizard's duel. You know what that is?"

I bit my lower lip and nodded. I really didn't, but I mean, how much more complicated could it be? I mean it had the word 'duel' in the name so I'm assuming it's a duel.

"Well," He continued "I've become good friends with Theodore Nott, I mean he's better then Blaise Zabini who mostly keeps to himself, but he's not the worst… anyway, he told Malfoy he was my second before I could say anything and _so_ that's what I'm doing at midnight tonight... Thought I'd better tell you before you found out on your own and killed me." He chuckled at the last part.

"You're serious?" I asked him surprised "Where?"

"Trophy room." He clipped a rotten stem.

I shook my head "You do realize that it's probably a trick right? I bet he expected you to refuse anyway."

"That's what Daphne Greengrass said after she punched my shoulder 'for being stupid'."

"Well she was right to call you stupid. It is. He's probably not even going to show and Filch will end up finding you and hanging you by the dungeon ceiling by your toes."

Harry snorted "Please, he hasn't gotten Dumbledore to pass that and you know it."

I exhaled loudly "Still it's not—"

Professor Sprout walked over to us cutting me off mid-sentence "This looks great! I think you're good for tonight, so you best be off towards your dormitories."

I glanced at the flowers, some brown leaves still poking out, but decided if she was letting us leave early then I was going to take it. We both jumped up and dusted the fertilizer off of our clothes and headed out into the brisk September air "We've only been in there for at least an hour! I wish I get her more often for detention than Filch."

"Harry you aren't seriously considering going tonight are you?" I asked him.

Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair "Ah I dunno."

He turned to look at me so I pouted out my lower lip and widened my eyes. He glared at me and turned forward, pretending to be unaware of me still staring at him. He groaned rather loudly "No, I guess I won't."

I nodded satisfied "Good boy."

Harry pouted at me and we walked the rest of the way back to Hogwarts. We opened the large doors and walked past Snape who glared daggers at me, his hot pink curls swaying with the breeze the open door had carried in. We both smiled at him innocently, muttering our hellos.

Harry nudged my shoulder "So how'd you three manage to do that?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I replied innocently.

CcCcCc

"Half-past eleven." I whispered to Hermione "I'd better go."

"I'm coming too." She retorted "You think I'd let you go on your own? You're insane."

I snorted "And that's why I love you."

Hermione laughed softly so as not to awake our dorm mates "Alright, so let's go and hope your idiot of a brother doesn't get caught."

I agreed and we both climbed down the flight of stairs, thankful no one was awake, and we both clambered out of the portrait hole. I couldn't help but wonder when I had become ok with Harry being called my brother.

CcCcCc

We both tiptoed into the trophy room and were surprised to see someone already there that wasn't Harry. It was Daphne Greengrass. She looked just as shocked to see us as we were to see her. Hermione dragged me in and looked at the girl strangely "Daphne Greengrass? What are you going here?"

"I'm stopping Harry and Theo from being idiots and having a Wizard's duel with Malfoy and Crabbe… What are you two doing?" She asked.

"The same thing." I replied.

"Idiots." Daphne shook her head and folded her arms over her chest.

"He told me he wasn't coming, but I came just to make sure." I explained.

"So did I." Daphne admitted.

Hermione glanced at all the trophy cases and then back at us "Hopefully Filch doesn't find us."

"I—" Daphne stopped before she could start when we started to hear voices and they weren't the voices of Draco Malfoy or either of his cronies.

Walking around the corner with Theodore Nott on his tail was Harry Potter. They heard Harry ask Theodore amused "And if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose." I told him dryly.

Harry and Theodore looked up with the 'deer in the head lights' look and they both stopped in their tracks.

"You're dead." Theodore whispered to him blandly.

Harry glared at him "It's your fault I'm in this situation, I'm bringing you down with me."

"I'm only allowing you to bring me down with you because I'm not leaving my best buddy alone in the clutches of stellar, but sneaky Daphne Greengrass, the redheaded goddess that's your evil little sis Hope Potter and her gorgeous, but wickedly smart best friend Hermione Granger." Theodore smiled graciously at us.

I stared at Harry with a 'what-the-fuck' face while Daphne walked forward and hit him in the shoulder, leaving Hermione to scrunch her nose delicately and say "Yeah this just got awkward."

I tossed my head to get my hair from my face "Thought you said you wouldn't be going tonight."

"Yeah," Harry ran a hand through his hair nervously "about that."

"I made him." Theodore deadpanned.

"You two could have both been caught and then heaven knows what Filch would do to you!" Hermione reprimanded them in a slightly hushed voice, hands on her hips.

"He'd hang you by chains on the dungeon ceiling. By your toes." Daphne stated simply.

"Why do you both say that!?" Harry exclaimed wildly.

"Because that's what Filch says." Hermione replied in a tone as if it were obvious "All the time."

"It's true." Theodore stated as he bobbed his head "We should make him a T-shirt."

I must have gotten 'the look' as Hermione calls it on my face because she shook her head viciously "Nope. Whatever you're thinking, eject it."

I snickered "Eject."

Daphne clucked her tongue "I told you two Malfoy was just setting you both up, its twelve o seven."

"Maybe he's just late?" Harry trailed on glancing at Theodore.

Theodore shrugged his shoulders "How am I supposed to know Potter?"

Harry glared at him.

"I told you he hadn't expected you to accept so he wasn't going to show." I said in a sing-song voice.

"I bet you he may have tipped off Filch too." Hermione realized suddenly as we started to hear footsteps and Filch's croaky voice fill the silence "Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

"I blame you both if we get caught." Daphne snapped at the two.

Harry ignored her and waved at us frantically, leading us towards the other door and away from Filch's voice. We all snuck down the hallways and maneuvered between suits of armor, Filch's footsteps never fading. Theodore had looked behind him to check on Filch and had tripped over his own feet slamming into a suit of armor. We all froze at the large crash and then heard Filch's footsteps get louder as he was no doubt running, so we did the only reasonable thing to do.

"RUN!" Daphne all but screamed.

We ran down corridor after corridor, no one knowing if Filch was behind or not, we ripped through a tapestry that turned out to be a hidden passageway and we ended up near our charms classroom, which we knew was miles from the trophy room. I looked at Harry "Malfoy tricked you, you do realize that right? Filch knew someone was in the trophy room, Hermione was right, he must have tipped him off."

"Yes," Harry gasped "I get it. But right now we need to get back to our dormitories before he find us."

"Let's go." Theodore rubbed at his sore side.

A nearby door rattled and Peeves flew out, he gave a startled squeal of glee at the sight of us "Wandering around at midnight Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please." Hermione pleaded desperately.

"Should tell Filch, I should." Peeves said solemnly "It's for your own good you know"

"Oh get out of the way." Theodore growled, swiping at Peeves. That was stupid, figures.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" Peeves bellowed.

We all cursed and ducked under Peeves, running until we all ceremoniously ran into a looked door. Hermione was the first to jump up, knocking Theodore out of the way as he moaned miserably "This is it! We're done for! This is the end! Goodbye world!"

"Move!" She yelled at him, snapping out her wand "Alohomora (2)!"

We all piled past her as it opened and we shoved it shut just as we heard Filch reach Peeves, his breath coming in great gasps. "Which way did they go Peeves?"

"Say please."

"Don't mess with me," Filch growled "_now where did they go_?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please." Peeves sang.

"All right— _please_."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please!" Peeves cackled and whooshed away, Filch cursing after him.

I breathed out a shaky laugh "He thinks this door is locked, I think we'll be okay."

Harry suddenly tugged on my robes "What?"

I turned around just as the others did and we all gasped. This wasn't a room, it was a corridor, the forbidden corridor to be exact. And know we knew why it was forbidden.

We all clutched to each other as the head or should I say heads swiveled to look at us. It had three large heads each with a set of dark eyes, three noses, three disgustingly drooling mouths and large yellow fangs. And the thing took up the whole dang room. It stared at us and was standing quite still, its six eyes blinking. The beast started to growl, great thunderous growls.

Daphne must have opened the door, having being closest to the doorknob, and we all fell backwards. Luckily Filch must have went off to look for some other unfortunate souls because he was nowhere in sight. We all ran down the corridors until Hermione couldn't take it anymore and collapsed against the wall. We all were thankful for that and sunk towards the ground with her.

"What— do you think they're doing keeping—that thing is a school?" Harry panted.

"If any dogs needs exercise, that one does." Theodore muttered.

I raised an eyebrow at him and traded a glance with Daphne who shrugged.

"You don't use your eyes do you?" Hermione asked as she clutched a stich in her side "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Theodore asked lamely.

"No _not_ the floor! It was standing on a trapdoor, it's obviously guarding something." Hermione straightened herself and turned on the boys "I hope your happy because we could have been killed—or worse, expelled."

"How is that worse?" I wondered aloud.

"Hope." She glared at me.

"But she's right," Daphne broke in "we could have been killed."

"But that should be _the worst_." I sent a pointed look at Hermione.

"Now if you don't mind, we will be going to bed."

"_We_?"

"Yes Hope, _we_. I know I came along willingly, but we really should be going to bed. It's nearly one."

"We should be doing that too." Daphne voiced.

I groaned and got up "See you Harry, Theodore, Daphne. We will defiantly be talking later."

"Bye Hope, Hermione." They all chorused.

I glanced at Hermione as we went through the portrait, the Fat Lady tutting at us disapprovingly.

I guess I know where that package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.

CcCcCc

Diffindo (1) - The Severing Charm is a charm used to precisely and accurately cut something

Alohomora (2) – is a charm that unlocks and opens doors and windows that are not protected by magic


	8. Halloween Trolls

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! I do own Hope though. **

**Thank you for all the follows, reviews, favorites and such! It means a lot to me! It really does! This chapter is a bit short, but I'm fixing the mistakes to the next chapter tonight so it should be up shortly! Thanks again guys! :D **

Hermione didn't so much as have a sliver of curiosity of wondering what was in that package or why that dog was guarding it in the first place. That morning at breakfast I leaned against Hermione "Don't you just wonder what its guarding? It must be either very dangerous or really valuable! Or both!"

"Hope I honestly don't care what that dog is guarding. Now eat your toast so we can head to class." Hermione told me sternly.

"But how can we eat when that _thing _is down there just asking to be explored." I protested.

"First off that thing isn't asking to be explored. It can't speak. Just leave it alone, I'm sure Dumbledore has a very reasonable explanation for having it down there." Hermione rationalized.

"But it's literally a three-headed dog! In this very school! _Our_ school! Aren't you at least a little bit curious?" I prompted.

Hermione leveled a look at me "Yes of course I'm interested, it's a Cerberus, but—"

"Great!" I chirped, cutting her off "We can talk about it with the others later."

"No Hope." Hermione groaned frustrated.

"Hey what's that?" I asked suddenly as the thrush of morning owls flew in.

"What's what?" Hermione questioned, swiveling in her seat to track where I was looking.

As all the owls flew in and started to fly to their respective owners, six large screech owls carried in a long, thin package and stared to hover over the Slytherin table. To everyone's amazement, as the package had acquired a lot of attention, the owls flew down and dropped it before Harry Potter. The package pushed his food to the floor and a very excited Theodore made a grab for it, but a separate owl came by with a letter, averting his attention. Harry slit open the letter and slapped away Theodore's hand, handing the letter to Daphne's creeping hands.

The three of them jumped up excitedly and made their way to the doors only to be stopped by Malfoy and his little monkeys. Malfoy grabbed the package and looked it over, throwing it back at him with a face mixed of jealousy and spite. Professor Flitwick walked by the group beaming, stopping shortly when Malfoy opened his big mouth and started to complain. Flitwick just nodded, clapping Harry on the back.

CcCcCc

I guess it's hard to realize I'd been at Hogwarts for two months already. It felt more like home than Privet Drive ever did. On Halloween morning we all woke to the smell of baking pumpkins wafting through the corridors. Even better, Flitwick had said we could begin making objects fly in charms today. Flitwick paired us into partners, I ended up getting Ronald Weasley while Hermione had gotten Neville Longbottom.

"Swish and Flick, remember, swish and flick. Saying the magical words properly is very important." Flitwick squeaked.

Ron had spent most of the lesson prodding the feather we were supposed to be sending skyward. Seamus Finnigan even managed to explode his feather much to the amusement of his partner Dean Thomas, they had to sheepishly ask for another. I flicked my wand and muttered under my breath "Wingardium Leviosa (1)."

The feather floated up a ways before I let it back down.

Ron gaped at me "_How_ did you do that?"

"Just flick your wand with your wrist and say the incantation nice and clear." I instructed and watched as Ron's feather wobbled feebly "Close, try again."

"No Neville," Hermione's exasperated voice said from a few seats away "it's Wing-_gar_-dium Levi-_o_-sa. Make the 'gar' nice and long."

"I can't do it, you do it." Neville groaned.

Hermione rolled her sleeve up and flicked her wand "Okay, Wingardium Leviosa."

Her feather flew high into the air, drawing the attention of Flitwick who clapped his hands wildly "Everyone see here! Miss Grangers done it!"

Ron looked at me "Don't you mind that she got all the credit when you did it first?"

I shrug "Eh, it don't matter really. I guess I'm used to it. Not come, try again."

Ron just gave me a knowing look. I guess being the brother of six wasn't as glammed up as others thought it to be. He flicked his wand again and the feather went up about a foot upwards before drifting slowly back down.

"You'll get it." I told him confidently.

CcCcCc

Dinner rolled around faster than you would think. My detention later all but flying from my mind as I watched the festive décor. Live bats fluttered around in thousands, flying around the tables and hanging from the bewitched ceiling. Large pumpkins sat on the ground while a few floated in the air, the candles in them shimmering. The food for this feast was almost as good as the one way back in September for the beginning feast.

I placed a baked potato on my plate and shoved a piece into my mouth when Professor Quirrell ran into the room, his turban slipping off his head and sweat clinging to his face. I scrunched up my nose and chewed slowly as he ran up to the head table. Fred and George, a few seats down, whispered furiously. Professor Quirrell, that excuse of a DADA professor, slumped up against the head table and cried "Troll in the dungeons—just thought you ought to know." And then the bloody idiot fell into a dead faint.

"Prefects! Please lead your house back to their dormitories and stay there!" Dumbledore yelled.

"Aren't the Slytherin dormitories in the dungeon?" I head a passing Ravenclaw ask her friend.

Percy Weasley, now in the zone, took command at once "Follow me! Stick together first years! Make way, follow my orders! Excuse me I'm a prefect!"

I'm pretty sure that when we passed a jumble of confused Hufflepuffs that I saw a flash of green heading in the wrong direction that looked suspiciously like Harry and Theodore, but I decided to ignore it in favor of thinking they weren't that stupid.

We were rustled and pushed through the confusion until we arrived safety in the Gryffindor dormitory and Percy and the other female prefect immediately tried to calm down all of the commotion.

Percy shot green sparks from his wand "Calm down! The rest of the food from the feast should arrive shortly. In the meantime, I advise you to do your homework."

"The teachers will dispose of the troll, so no worries." The female added kindly.

Fred and George Weasley had made their way towards me and Hermione and joined us in the 'finishing of the homework'. Hermione set to her homework at once while the twins had snagged me into helping them with future pranks. A little while later the food had arrived so the twins left to go eat with Lee, a few pranks now completed. Hermione sniffed disapprovingly at me so I flashed her an innocent smile. I couldn't help but remember, as I did my potions essay, that I had no detention tonight.

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The day after Halloween went by pretty much without incident. That morning at breakfast Dumbledore told us the troll had been taken care of and wasn't in the castle anymore. So I mean like nothing to worry about.

Except the fact that they had no clue how a twelve-foot mountain troll had managed to get into the castle and pleasantly walk down to the dungeons. But you know… nothing to worry about.

We heard nothing about what had happened that night, though the Slytherins had brought up the fact that they had lost five points, but had earned ten more that night. A few of the older students had even asked Snape about it, since he was the Head of House, but Snape just blinked at them and strolled away. I don't get that man and don't think I ever will.

Oh well, I have my third detention tonight so that ought to keep me busy… I can figure him out some other time. If that's even possible. He sure is a mystery.

CcCcCc

(1) Wingardium Leviosa- the levitating spell (official title will be added later)


	9. First Quidditch Match

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! I do own Hope though. **

**Oh my gawd! 35 Favorites and 45 Followers! Thanks so much guys! :D :D :D :D**

**Well last week my internet was being stupid so I couldn't go on the internet. I ended up writing three more chapters to this story! You proud? I'm hoping to get a steady pattern when I post stories from now on! Thanks again and happy reading. **

November was soon upon us, which meant it got _cold_. The mountains around the school turned grey, the lake chilled over and every morning the grounds were covered in frost. November also meant that the Quidditch season was starting. The very first match of the season was coming up. Gryffindor versus Slytherin.

Ever since Harry had told me about him becoming Seeker, the Slytherins had decided to keep his new position a secret from everyone else. They practiced secretly and wouldn't tell anyone who had filled the position, calling Harry their 'secret weapon'. But still, somehow, the news of Harry becoming Seeker got out and it had started to fray at Harry's nerves so more than they already were. Most of the students would either say he would be great or he would fall flat on his face.

Comforting.

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Hermione had lent me her copy, or should I say the library's copy, of _Quidditch Through the Ages _which was a very interesting read. Did you know that there are 700 ways to commit a foul? I didn't.

One day in the courtyard Hermione had conjured a small blue fire that she had put in a jar to keep us warm. We both hid it behind our backs so no one would see it, surly it would be against the rules.

I watched as Snape limped across the courtyard.

There must have been something about our faces, maybe we looked guilty, because he made his way towards us "What's that you got there, Potter?"

I showed him _Quidditch Through the Ages_ with a raised eyebrow.

Snape immediately snatched the book from me "Library books are not to be taken outside school. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He made that rule up." Hermione muttered angrily when he was out of earshot.

"You would know." I snorted "You practically live in the library."

Hermione glared "Anyway, wonder what's up with his leg."

I shrugged "Dunno, but I hope its really hurting him."

CcCcCc

That night in the common room was hectic. The Quidditch players were being bombarded by Wood to get a good night's sleep for the game tomorrow and the others were too excited to rest for the upcoming first match of the season. I fiddled with a string that had unraveled and watched Hermione 'tsk' and 'hum' as she went through my homework, something she insisted on doing and something I couldn't refuse if it meant she was going to give me free answers.

I sighed "I think I'm going to go and try to get Quidditch Through the Ages back from Snape..."

Hermione glanced up "You're head versus mine."

I stuck my tongue out at her "But I was thinking he can't say no if other teachers are there."

Hermione chewed the tip of her quill "Smart, unless no one's there."

"I'm praying there will be." I admitted and got up to walk down to the Staff room. I passed by Ron, Dean and Seamus who all were staring at a piece of paper, making me wonder what Seamus will end up accidentally setting aflame. No matter whether they meant for it to happen or not, it's still going to happen anyway.

I knocked on the staff room door, crossing my arms across my chest as I glanced around. There was no answer so I knocked on the wood harder. Still no answer so I decided that meant either no one had heard me, they were being rude and were ignoring me, or no one was there. I was leaning more so on the later.

I opened the door and froze in shook at the sight before me. Snape was holding his robes above his knee, his one leg was bloody and mangled, while Filch was handing Snape bandages. If Snape's leg wasn't mangled and Filch was a little closer these two would have some explaining to do. Gross.

Snape cursed "Blasted thing. How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

All three heads? Wait a second...

I turned on my heel and slowly started to inch the door shut when a shout made me jump "Potter!"

I opened the door fully so I could see Snape, who dropped his robes and glared at me in fury. I smiled sheepishly "I just stopped by to wonder if I could get my book back."

"Get out!" Snape seethed "Get out!"

I didn't need to be told again. I spun on the spot and ran all the way back to Gryffindor tower before Snape could take off any of our well-earned points. I panted and clutched at my side as I jumped through the portrait, making my way feebly towards Hermione.

She glanced up at me and raised an eyebrow at my sweaty forehead and the fact that I was basically clutching my side "So, did you get the book?"

I shook my head and relayed everything that had just happened.

"So you know what this means Hermione!? Snape was the one who tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween! I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione closed her book with a snap "Hope, I know he's mean, but Snape is a teacher. He wouldn't try to get past anything that Dumbledore put there to be guarded."

I sighed "Maybe you're right, but I'm keeping an eye on him."

"Like you already don't." Hermione told me dryly.

I gave her a pointed look "I'm not putting anything past Snape."

CcCcCc

That morning the air was bright, but very cold, the air in the Great Hall was cheerful as everyone got ready for a good Quidditch match, us first years practically bubbling in excitement. Especially the muggle-raised and Muggleborns.

I glanced in Harry's general direction as I passed the snake table, but Harry wasn't watching, he was too busy pushing away Daphne's attempts at getting him to eat something.

Eleven o'clock rolled around faster than you would think, especially with the excited atmosphere and the fact that no one could sit still because they were practically bussing with excitement.

The whole school pushed and shoved until we were all seated in the stadium seats, some students already placing bets. A banner flashed over in the Slytherin end, the banner read 'Potter for President' and a large Slytherin snake was drawn beneath it. One of the older students has charmed the letters to flash different colors.

We watched as the two teams walked on, Gryffindor in their scarlet robes while Slytherin bore their green robes. Madam Hooch was refereeing, her broom pressed underneath her armpit. She spoke to the group "Alright I want a nice fair game, all of you."

She seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin captain, Marcus Flint, a fifth year. He was an odd looking boy... nearly looking like a troll.

"Mount your brooms please."

Madam Hooch gave a sharp blast of her whistle and the game was on. All of the brooms shot skyward, Madam Hooch releasing the Quaffle into the throng of players.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor, what an excellent Chaser that girl is and rather attractive too-"

"Jordan!"

"Sorry Professor." Came the reply.

The twin's friend Lee Jordan was being the commentary for this game, carefully observed by Professor McGonagall that is.

Hermione and I traded amused looks.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve, back to Johnson and no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes Flint flying like an eagle up there he's going to sc– no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and OUCH that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger, Quaffle taken by the Slytherins that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goalposts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which, nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes she's really flying, dodges a speeding Bludger the goalposts are ahead come on, now, Angelina Keeper Bletchley dives misses GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

The Gryffindors momentarily deafen everyone in the stadium by their cheers and screams. The Slytherins trying to overpower us with their own boos, but failing terribly.

"Budge up there, move along." A familiar voice calls suddenly.

I turn around "Hagrid!"

"Bin' watchin' from me hut," Hagrid patted a pair of binoculars around his neck "but it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the snitch yet?"

We both shake our heads "Not that we know of, neither seeker has been doing much but watching the game so far."

Which was true. Harry was sitting in one place above the game, looking around for the Snitch and watching the Quaffle every once in a while. The Gryffindor seeker was Louis Reynard, a fourth year boy with short blonde hair and hazel eyes that were bright atop chiseled features. But off topic, he was currently watching the game and looking for the snitch while lazily lapping the field in circles.

We watched as Harry easily dodged a Buldger and yelled something to Lance Talbot, who has come to retrieve it. Lance was a burly man with little brain and currently one of the Slytherin beaters. He whacked the ball towards one of the Gryffindor chasers, whoever it was dodging it with a small barrel roll.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the- wait a moment was that the Snitch?"

The stadium seemed to hush at that and we all looked around wildly. Adrian Pucey even dropped the Quaffle as he watched the small flash of gold fly past his ear.

I felt Ronald Weasley's elbow jam into my side as both Seekers sped off towards the golden ball. Harry was currently a few inches before Louis, who was slightly bigger than Harry due to him being a fourth year. The Chasers had even forgotten what they were supposed to be doing in favor of watching the two seekers dive for the snitch.

Harry was sure to have gotten the snitch if that Bludger hadn't come out of nowhere, scattering the two seekers and causing the snitch to disappear. A groan of disappointment rang through the crowd as George Weasley whacked the Bludger towards a Slytherin.

Alicia Spinnet quickly scored Gryffindor another point during the confusion. The Slytherin Keeper being to occupied watching the seekers to try and intervene.

A collection of jeers rang through the houses except for Slytherin, who's Chaser got a Bludger to the face.

"Slytherin in possession Flint with the Quaffle passes Spinnet passes Bell hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose only joking, Professor Slytherins scores..."

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled suddenly, staring through his binoculars up towards Harry "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom . . . but he can't have. . . ."

I frowned and followed Hagrid's gaze, eyes landing on the Slytherin. Harry's broom had started to roll over and over, Harry barley managing to hold on. The broom suddenly gave a wild jerk and Harry was thrown off, one hand managing to latch itself onto the handle.

"Did something happen to it when that Bludger nearly smashed into him?" Seamus asked joining in on our conversation.

"Can't have," Hagrid shook his large head "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic, no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

Hermione's eyes lit up at that and she seized Hagrid's binoculars. Instead of looking at Harry who was still dangling, she searched the crowds. I blinked at her when she snapped around to look at me "I knew it! Snape- look!"

I grabbed the binoculars and scanned the crowd for the man who happened to be sitting opposite us in the middle of the stands. His eyes were fastened on Harry and he was muttering nonstop under his breath. I pulled the binoculars away "Maybe he's trying to save him? I mean, why would Snape harm his own seeker? He wants Slytherin to win, not lose."

Hermione gave me an odd look "Now you're defending him? He's obviously jinxing the broom!"

I turned back to watch the man "Are you sure, you were always defending him first anyway. I mean ok, what should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

Hermione has disappeared before I knew it. I wiped my hair from my face and turned back to Harry, his broom had now started to vibrate violently, his grip starting to loosen. The whole crowd watched as Fred and George Weasley tried to grab the boy, but the broom was having none of it, and would fly higher every time they got close. They eventually dropped lower, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint had grabbed the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone knowing. Nice to know his own team wasn't that concerned, considering it was the Gryffindor twins trying to save their seeker.

"Come on Hermione." I muttered worriedly.

Hermione later told me that she had said a few well-chosen words and had set the hem of Snape's robes on fire. It took Snake thirty seconds to realize he was on fire, but Hermione scooped the fire into a jar inside her pocket and scampered off before she could get caught.

It was enough though and Harry was soon back onto his own broom. I heard Ron tell Neville who had been sobbing into the back of Hagrid's jacket "Neville you can look!"

Neville looked up just in time to see Harry fall off his broom and onto the ground, clamping his hand across his mouth as if he might be sick. He coughed and something gold fell into his hand. Harry's head snapped up and he held the ball up higher "I've got the snitch!"

The stadium grew silent as we all blinked in confusion before the Slytherins burst in celebration. The Slytherins all surrounded their player while the Gryffindors landed, Wood telling them something. Slytherin had won one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

Hagrid smiled and started to make his way down the stadium towards Harry, making the others move out of the way, so we followed right behind him. Once on the grounds Hagrid went to find Harry while Hermione and I started to make our way towards the castle, thinking we could congratulate him when he wasn't surrounded.

My hand was snatched out of nowhere and I came face to face with Daphne. "Hey, me, Harry and Theo are going to Hagrid's for tea. Harry wanted me to ask you two if you wanted to come?"

I traded a glance with Hermione who replied with a smile "Sure, we'd love too."

We would?

Hermione shot me a look that told me to shut my mouth. I just nodded.

We all made our way silently to Hagrid's hut and we opened the door after a moment of knocking. A waft of hot air hit us as the large door opened, Fang leaping away from Harry and jumping over to me happily. I scratched his ears "Hiya Fang!"

The dog barked at me and continued to follow me as Hermione, Daphne and I plopped down in Hagrid's oversized chair. Harry and Theodore sat at the nearby table with Hagrid.

Hermione slid her fingers through her hair "So..."

"What was up with your broom Harry?" Theodore asked suddenly.

Harry frowned "I don't know. One moment it was fine, the next it was trying to throw me off."

I bit my lip and looked at Hermione who gave a minuscule nod "It was Snape."

The four heads snapped to look at me. Hermione bobbed her head "Yeah, Hope and I saw him, he was cursing your broomstick, muttering and he wouldn't take his eyes off of you."

Harry seemed to consider it, but Daphne shook her head with a frown "But Snape wants Slytherin to win, why would he curse Harry's broom? Plus, Snape wouldn't hurt one of his own snakes."

"He has always hated me though." Harry mused.

"I was wondering the same thing," I nodded to Daphne "but Hermione did something to break his contact and Harry's broom stopped acting up."

"That was you?" Harry asked surprised "I wondered why it stopped so suddenly."

"Hey, if you were to fall, Fred and George would have caught you. While your captain was over there scoring points. Even Wood was worried for you. His attention was on you. He didn't block Flint at least." I huffed.

Harry nodded mutely, I guess that had been on his mind too.

"But back on Snape-" Hermione spoke up suddenly.

"I don't know why he would do that to Harry, maybe it's because we're related, but I caught him last night showing Filch his leg." I interjected. "He must have tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he's trying to get at whatever the dogs hiding."

Daphne gaped at us "You really think so?"

Theodore opened his mouth to speak, but was caught off by Hagrid dropping his teapot "How do you know about Fluffy."

Hermione gently picked the pot back up. We all looked up at Hagrid "Fluffy!?"

"Yeah. He's mine. Bough' him off a Greek chappie in a pub las' year. Lent him ter Dumbledore to guard the-"

Hagrid stopped abruptly as we all traded eager glances "Now don't ask me anymore, top secret."

"But Snape's trying to steal it!" Theodore started.

"Rubbish, Snape is a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So then why did he go and try to kill Harry!" Daphne cried.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!" Hermione insisted.

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all five of yeh yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel."

"Aha!" said Harry triumphantly "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked absolutely furious with himself.


	10. First Real Christmas

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! **

**I really don't got much to say this chapter, but thanks to all of those who have stuck to this story! I really appreciate it!**

**OH! Got something! If anyone has any prank ideas they would be willing to let me use in later chapters and stories I would really appreciate it! Of course I will give credit to who gave me the idea. I'm trying to come up with some good ones! Thanks in advance! '**

It was now December and that meant one thing. Christmas was coming. To most of the school it was a heaven sent, meaning time to visit family and friends from your old school, no homework, and presents. To me it meant staying with either the Dursleys or staying here at the school, no homework and no presents. Yes I know, my life's depressing, but hey, it's mine.

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So now it was mid-December, the weather turning an icy cold which meant every morning you had to run from your warm blanket cocoon and sprint for the bathrooms to shower otherwise your feet would freeze to the carpeted floor. No one was found wandering the corridors without a coat or a winter robe on and nearly everyone had a trail of mist puffing from their mouths as they talked. The top layer of the lake was frozen solid, the murky water underneath stagnant from the frigid temperature below. The bitter winds that had come down from the mountains battled against the owls making their way to Hogwarts to deliver letters, battering their wings and rustling their feathers, but Hagrid nursed them all back to health before they flew off again.

The twins had gotten detention a week back for bewitching snowballs to hit the back of Professor Quirrell's turban, making them follow him around wherever he went. When asked I refused repeatedly to the teachers that I had no part in it, which caused the twins to 'ignore' me for a week. But for them 'ignore' just means I can't participate in any of their pranks. Something their younger brother, Ron, thinks is unfair because 'ignore' for him is basically the silent treatment.

The classrooms themselves were freezing, but the worst had to have been the dungeons. Most of the teachers had been nicer and conjured little fires in their rooms, but Snape sure didn't. Add to that the fact that the wind came in through the corridors and drifted down to the already cold dungeon classrooms. Most of us kept as close to their cauldrons during those miserable hours. Malfoy had made a snide comment in Potions class one day, sending me a pointed look as he looked straight at Harry "I do feel sorry, for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

I send him a sharp glare and turned back to mixing my potion with Hermione. I hadn't caught Harry's response.

After the Potions lesson Hermione and I huddled against each other as we made our way out of the dungeons, but the next corridor was blocked by a large fir tree. I glanced at the large feet sticking out from the bottom "Hi, Hagrid, want any help?"

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks Hope." Hagrid huffed.

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Malfoy drawled from behind us. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Potter? Hoping to be the gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose—that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to your house back with your filthy muggle relatives."

I spun on my heel and was about to dive at Malfoy when someone beat me to it. A black haired, green eyed someone. I heard a gasp from behind when Daphne rounded the corner "Harry!"

Harry pulled back from his punch with a satisfactory smirk. Malfoy's once slicked back hair was now ruffled with odd ends sticking in odd places and his lip had busted open, bleeding all over his pristine robes. Malfoy blinked up at him in surprise, hand wiping at his lip and pulling it back to see it for himself.

"POTTER!" Snape had just came up the stairs.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," Hagrid said at once, sticking his hairy face out from behind the tree "Malfoy was insulting his an' Hope's family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid." Snape said silkily. "Five points from Slytherin, Potter, and be grateful it isn't more. Now move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all pushed past us, bumping purposefully into the tree and scattering needles.

"I'll get him, one of these days, I'll get him." Harry said menacingly.

"I hate them both." Theodore stated "Malfoy and Snape."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas." Hagrid said in an effort to lift the heavy mood "Tell ya what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So all five of us followed Hagrid and his tree to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

Hagrid was called over to put the tree elsewhere as we gazed upon the hall. It really did look astonishing. Garlands of holly and mistletoe hung around the walls and at least twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny ice crystals or hundreds of small candles.

"How many days do yer got left for yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one." Hermione replied "Which reminds me, Hope, Harry, Daphne, Theodore, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah… right." I groaned, tearing my eyes away from the golden bubbles coming out of Flitwick's wand.

"The library?" Hagrid asked surprised "Just before the holidays? Bit keen aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we aren't working." Harry said brightly "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You _what_?" Hagrid asked shocked "Listen here—I've told yeh—drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'.

"We just want to know who he is, that's all." I said innocently.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble? We've must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere." Theodore started hopefully.

"Just a hint." I whined "I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin'." Hagrid said flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves then." Daphne sighed dramatically and we all left Hagrid to go off to the library.

We really had been looking for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip. How else were we going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? Only problem was, it was very hard to find a place to start, not knowing what he did to get himself into a book. Daphne and Hermione had scavenged all the more vastly known books like _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century_, _Notable Magical Names of Our Times_, _Important Modern Magical Discoveries_, and in _A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry_. We just couldn't find him. Even the library itself must have grown in size since the last time I've seen it, it just appeared as if it had more books than before. There were tens of thousands of books, thousands of shelves and hundreds of narrow rows. We were doomed.

Hermione pulled out a list of things and subjects she had decided to search and marched off with Daphne in tow while Harry, Theodore and I were left to start pulling books out of their shelves at random. I passed the Restricted Section and wondered for the millionth time if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Sadly you needed a signed form to get any of the restricted books and I knew I probably couldn't get one. Most of the books were dangerous and either were full of Dark Magic or something else unsafe.

"What are you looking for, girl?"

I glanced up at Madam Pince, the librarian "I—I'm looking for… my friend. Oh look, there he is."

I dashed away from the librarian before she could call me back as I made my way towards Harry, dodging a Ravenclaw to absorbed in her book to move. You may be wondering why we never asked the librarian about Nicolas Flamel, it would be the smart thing to do, and we would, but we didn't want Snape to find out we were looking in to it. Considering the fact we had been in the library for only two weeks, sneaking in library time during odd moments, we weren't surprised we hadn't found anything yet.

I snatched out a book and started to flip through the pages, skimming its content and humming to myself. Theodore walked over to me and grabbed a book "This is stupid."

I huffed a laugh and righted the book in his hand as he had begun reading it upside down. He pretended he didn't notice.

I walked over to the desk Harry sat at and sat down beside him. I heard a frustrated groan and Hermione came around the corner "I can't find _Famous Witches and Wizards of Our Era _anywhere! Madam Pince said it was in."

I held up the book in my hands so she could see the cover "This it?"

Hermione blinked at me "How did you find that?"

"I picked at random."

Hermione snatched it from my hands and walked away yelling "Daphne I found it!"

"Where was it?"

"Hope had it!"

"She took my book." I pouted.

Harry watched me from behind his own book "Poor you."

"Poor me." I agreed.

Harry went back to slowly skimming his book. I cleared my throat. He looked up at me "What?"

"I just wanted to say thanks… you know… for earlier."

Harry frowned before realization appeared on his face "You don't have to say thanks, you didn't make me. It was of my consent and of the whole school's consent, but mostly mine."

I laughed softly at the memory.

Daphne came up to us from behind and shook her blonde hair "We looked at the few books we both thought to look up. He's not there."

"But Nott is here." Came Theodore's voice.

We all groaned and Harry swatted at his friend's head.

Hermione walked over and looked at me "You will at least keep looking while we are away, won't you?"

I rolled my eyes. We had been over this before. "Yes I will and I'll send you all an owl as soon as I find it."

"You sure you'll be ok here alone?" Daphne asked me in concern.

Daphne, Hermione, Harry and Theodore were all going home for Christmas while I stayed here at Hogwarts.

I nod "Ill. Be. Fine. Honest."

CcCcCc

Once the holidays had started, I forgot all about Nicolas Flamel. Since I was without Hermione for the holidays and therefore 'alone' as the twins called it, I spent most of my time with them. And Ron, but only because Dean and Seamus had left him all alone too. The reason the Weasleys weren't going home for the holidays was because their mum, dad and younger sister Ginny were going to visit their older brother Charlie in Romania on a dragon preserve he worked at.

I had started to become good friend with Ron. Whenever I wasn't thinking up good prank ideas with the twins or all three of us were having a snowball fight, I was with Ron roasting anything we could find like bread, English muffins, and marshmallows over the common room fire on a toasting fork. Ron had also started teaching me how to play wizard chess. It was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive. Ron's chessmen were old and battered, like everything he owned, having once belonged to his grandfather. But that wasn't a disadvantage at all, he knew them very well. As odd as that sounds.

Ron had smuggled Seamus' set of chessmen for me to play with and let me tell you, they didn't trust me one bit. I wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at me. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send _him_, we can afford to lose _him_."

It got very confusing.

CcCcCc

Christmas Eve had arrived faster than I thought. I went to bed that night ready for the food and the fun, not expecting any presents. However when I woke up, I was faced with a small pile of packages at the foot of my bed. I blinked in surprise and looked around the empty dormitory before I slinked down to the floor. I picked up the top parcel which said it was from Hagird and tore it open. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute, something Hagrid had obviously whittled himself. I blew it and it sounded very much like an owl.

I picked up a very small parcel and read the note attached:

_We received your message and enclosed your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia._

And taped to the note was a fifty-pence piece.

"That's friendly."

I then grabbed a lumpy brown parcel and felt as it squished beneath my fingers. I opened it and found a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge. I frowned when I found no note and hesitantly took a bite of the fudge, which was very tasty. I shrugged and tugged the sweater over my tank top.

The next present was also candy, a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione. I popped out a chocolate frog and laid the Miranda Goshawk card down on the floor, I already had her, chomping on the rich chocolate slowly.

Daphne had sent me candy to, a box full of sugar quills. I think she's addicted to them, you never see her without one.

I grabbed the last parcel and opened it carefully, being the last present I had gotten. I let the paper drop to the ground and I picked up the note:

_Merry Christmas from us all. I was going to get you something else, but Pads said you would like this more because no one can resist Sirius Black. You can punch him next time you see him._

_Love James, Lily, Harry, Sirius and Remus_

Each name was signed by its owner, something that surprised me. I looked down at the present Sirius had gotten just for me and laughed out loud. I gazed upon the black miniature stuffed dog with dark brown eyes. It looked exactly like the Grim who so happened to look exactly like Sirius. Or should that be the other way around? Sirius looked exactly like the Grim?

I picked up the dog and marveled at its soft fur. I laughed "Padfoot."

CcCcCc

I walked down the stairs and entered the common room, smiling as the twins and Ron looked up at me.

"Sleeping Beauty awakes!" George cried. "It's a miracle."

Ron's eyes landed on my sweater, his cheeks flushing red "You got a Weasley sweater too?"

I gazed down at my shirt "Is that who it's from? There wasn't a note."

Fred and George both nodded "Yeah, we told mum how you told us you weren't expecting much for Christmas."

"So she must have made you a sweater."

"Ah, that was sweet of her." I said softly.

"She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family." Fred frowned.

It was then that I noticed that Ron was wearing a maroon colored sweater with a large R on the front. The twins both wearing a blue one, one with a large F while the other had a large G printed on the front. I cocked my head "Hey George, aren't you wearing Fred's?"

Both twins looked down at their sweaters.

"I suppose you think we forgot our names, huh?" George tutted. "But we're not stupid—we know we are called Gred and Forge."

I blinked at his sudden serious face and started to laugh.

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley made his way over to us. Clearly he had been in the middle of unwrapping his presents as he too carried a lumpy sweater over his arm.

Fred seized it at once and cooed "Oh look, P for prefect! Get it on Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Hope got one."

"I – don't – want." Said Percy thickly as the twins proceeded to force the sweater over his head and knocking his glasses to the floor.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today either." George said rather firmly "Christmas is a time for family."

The twins then marched Percy over to a couch to sit down, Percy's arms pinned down to his side by his sweater.

CcCcCc

Never in all of my life had I had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, turrets of buttered peas, silver boats of gravy and cranberry sauce covered the tables. I could only wonder how this many students could consume this much, it was nearly a feast and nearly three-thirds of the students were gone. There were these things called wizard crackers that were stacked every few feet and these were nothing like regular, muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought. I had pulled one with George and it banged like a cannon and engulfed us all in a cloud of blue smoke, leaving behind a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. George forced the hat onto my head.

Flaming Christmas pudding followed the turkey, Percy nearly breaking his teeth on a silver Sickle embedded in his slice. It was funny to watch the professors up at the Head table, Hagrid's face getting redder and redder as he drank his wine and he actually kissed McGonagall on the cheek, making her giggle and blush.

By the time the feast had winded down I was loaded down by a stack of things from the wizard crackers. Including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and my own wizard chess set. Closely after that the Weasleys and I had a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Fred, Percy and Ron had sided against me and George, but I was glad to announce that they left just as cold, wet and as breathless as me and George did. We all returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room and Ron made me try out my new chess set.

I suspect I wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help me so much.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt to full and sleepy to do much of anything. Ron and I lazily watched as Percy chased Fred and George around the tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.

That day had been the best Christmas ever, and after biding goodnight to the Weasley boys, I headed to bed. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.


	11. The Mirror of Erised

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow!**

**So sorry for the delay in this chapter! But finally, here it is! Thank you all for sticking with this story and all the nice things you've said about it! :D **

**I shan't keep you waiting, so a-further-a-do (however you spell dat), here we go!**

A few nights after Christmas and about a week before the restart of term, I decided the best I could do for the others is at least say I stepped foot in the library. Fred and George were understandably upset with my decision to go and study, which is what I told them I was doing, but it wasn't a total lie... I was studying somewhat. Kinda? No? Not really...

I walked into the disturbingly quiet library. I mean, it's usually quiet in a library, but there was probably only one or two students in here instead of the usual twenty or so. I skimmed the same books we probably already looked at once again, passing the Restricted Section. I picked a random book of the shelf and skimmed through its contents, narrowing my eyes as I tried to look into the room. Soft footsteps were heard and once again Madam Pince was behind me. I turned towards her and blinked at her in fake surprise "Hello Madam Pince."

"Miss Potter." She returned "And what, may I ask, are you doing in the library at such a time? Shouldn't you be spending time with your friends rather than being here?"

"Uh actually Madam Pince, I was just err—trying to see if you had this book… You know, for studying purposes." I mentally cringed at my petty excuse to be peering into the Restricted Section.

"Which book?" She asked me "And do you have the sighed form?"

"I don't." I hedged slowly "But why go through all that trouble if you don't have the book?"

"Which book then?" She repeated, raising an eyebrow.

I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again "Can't I just go in and see if you have it?"

"No." She said flatly. "Now which book are you speaking of Miss Potter?"

"Oh wait, darn! Well you see, I've forgotten the name of the book so I'll just run up to my dormitory and see if I wrote it down somewhere."

Madam Pince's distrustful eyes followed me as I walked as fast as I could without looking suspicious out of the library. I took a sharp turn to avoid talking to a nearing Hufflepuff and walked down a corridor. I continued walking in the general direction of the Gryffindor Tower when I heard the sing song voice of Peeves. I immediately panicked, searching for a place to hide. A nearby door was cracked open softly so I took that as permission to enter.

I heard Peeves swoosh by giggling hysterically. As much as I thought the prankster was awesome, he could defiantly get on somebody's nerves. In fact, he was famous for just that.

I bounced myself off the wall with a bump of my hip, taking a chance to look around the room I was in. It was most likely an unused classroom, due to the stacked chairs and desks that lined one of the walls. My eyes followed the rubbish of an unturned wastebasket and landed on a pair of detailed, golden clawed feet.

I tugged on the tarp that covered the rectangular object. It fell to the floor with a swish, revealing a mirror. A mirror that was as high as the ceiling and was carved of intricate gold wood. Along the top of the mirror were the words: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. I ran a finger over the rough carving, tilting my head at the foreign language. It didn't look like Latin or French, it honestly looked like regular English lettering.

I stepped in front of the mirror and nearly jumped out of my skin. I glanced around, looking over my shoulder, but I was alone.

There I was in the mirror, almond eyes surrounded by ink black lashes and a slightly pale face framed by dark red hair, but I wasn't the only one in the mirror. To my right was a woman with dark red hair and emerald green eyes, the exact replica of myself though older. With his arm around the woman's waist was a man with black hair and hazel eyes that appeared larger due to the black glasses on his face. Right beside me, standing directly in front of my dad, was Harry. That's when I understood. They were my parents.

But there were others, too. Standing beside the three or occupying the space behind them. Others with the same features as me, and Harry, and Lily and James. Relatives.

I stared at them for a while, memorized by their loving gaze and warm smiles. My hand rested itself against the cool glass of the mirror, tingling my finger tips. Honestly this should creep my out, I mean, most of them were alive. Harry and my parents were most likely at the Potter Manor. This should creep me out so bad that I should have ran out as soon as I saw it, but I didn't. I stayed.

After a minute or so I shook my head and walked out. The door slamming shut behind me.

I shouldn't have even stayed in the first place.

CcCcCc

The next day at breakfast I watched as poor Ron was sandwiched in between the twins. He would try and take a bite of his food, only to have it fall off his fork as a twin would jostle him.

I shook my head, sipping some of my orange juice. "You two are awful, just let him eat his food."

They pouted, but released their brother who immediately began to shovel food into his mouth. I grimaced at him. All the boy did was eat! All the time! That's ALL he does besides playing chess.

"So Hope, we were all going out to have a snowball fight after breakfast. Wanna come?" George asked me through a mouthful of toast.

"I would love too, but 'Mione sent me a letter asking me to look something up for her. Apparently she doesn't have the book at home." I rolled my eyes as if annoyed by the simple task. Truth is, she didn't send me a letter, but I just didn't want to tell them the truth.

"Boo!" The twins well—booed and started to throw tiny pieces of toast at me.

"Hey!" I swatted at them playfully. Laughing softly. "Stop it."

George met my eyes and tossed a balled up piece of toast at me. This one larger than the others. I glared at him as it smacked into my forehead and dropped into my orange juice.

Crystal blue eyes looked at me in amusement as my lips turned into a pout. I reached across the table and snatched his orange juice, switching it with mine, taking a sip. I stuck my tongue out at him. "At least you made it in."

George looked at his confiscated glass with a frown. "My orange juice."

"My forehead." I matched his same pouted tone.

George met my eyes once more and flashed me the twin's signature, mischievous grin and stood up "Coming Gred?"

"Coming Forge." Was the instant reply.

CcCcCc

I passed by the library, a nearby window revealing tiny flakes of snow littering the school grounds, feeling slightly guilty about lying to George.

The reason I didn't go into library was because Madam Pince was by the door and I didn't want her breathing down my neck the whole time I searched for a book. I turned to go back to the tower, honest, but found myself at the old abandoned classroom once again.

I'm not proud to say the same thing happened for the next few days. I'd skip hanging with the gingers and looking for Flamel and would instead sit in front of the mirror, watching them. We all looked so happy. Like an actual family.

Every night was the same, except for on the third night, which was the last time I ever saw that  
>mirror. Well, for a long time that is.<p>

"So—back again, Hope?"

I jumped violently and turned to see Headmaster Albus Dumbledore slip off one of the desks. I slapped a hand against my chest, feeling my rapid heart beat. "I didn't see you. – sir."

Dumbledore merely smiled at me "So you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"So that's what it's called then." I mused aloud, looking back at the mirror.

"I expect you've realized by now what it does?"

"It shows my family… all of us."

"Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?" He asked.

I shook my head mutely.

"Let me explain then. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

"So it shows us what we want, whatever we want?" I asked slowly, still trying to figure it out.

"Yes and no," Dumbledore said softly "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. However, the mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.

"The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Hope, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you run off, enjoy your break."

Dumbledore then began to leave, but a sudden thought sprang into my mind. "Uh sir—Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled, blue eyes twinkling "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look into the mirror?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick woolen socks."

I blinked at him. What?

"One can never have enough socks, another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

I stood there in silence, many minutes after Dumbledore had left. I continued to stare at the mirror, but ultimately decided to heed Dumbledore's warning. As I walked out the door, it struck me that Dumbledore may not have been quite truthful. But then, it had been quite a personal question.


	12. Finding Flamel

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow! **

**HAPPY SAINT PATTY'S DAY TO YOU ALL!**

**I don't got much to say except I hope you have a great day and a wonderful Saint Patrick's Day! **

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**Thanks for reading! :D**

Dumbledore had convinced me not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised, I wouldn't even know where to start anyway. Though my thirst for adventure fount against it, I didn't go looking. The beginning of the next term started and the school was once again overwhelmed with the buzzing and stomping of the students. Hermione was torn between amazed wonder at the idea of the Mirror of Erised and disappointment that I hadn't found anything on Nicholas Flamel.

We had nearly given up on ever finding Flamel in the Hogwarts library, though I swear I've seen his name somewhere. Since term had started, we had been browsing through books whenever we caught a chance. Though we did have less people on deck with Harry having Quidditch practice 24/7. Flint was commuted with making the team work harder than ever, though most teams were. But only Flint and Wood, however, would make their team practice in the endless rain that has bestowed itself upon Hogwarts.

The next day after one particularly grueling Quidditch practice did Harry inform us of the bad news. Snake you of be refereeing this match.

"Snape's refereeing?" I sputtered in disbelieve. "When's he ever refereed a match? He's not going to be fair with his snakes against the lions!"

"It's not my fault." Harry huffed at me.

I rolled my eyes childishly.

Daphne bit the end of her sugar quill and declares loudly "Don't play!"

"Say your ill?" Hermione suggested promptly.

"Pretend to break your leg." I proposed after a moment.

"Really break your leg." Theodore said simply, turning a page of his book.

We all turned to look at him with weirded expressions. He looked up "What?"

Harry sighed dramatically "I can't. There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Slytherin can't play at all."

"So? I asked with a soft smile. "I don't see the problem here."

Harry gave me a plain, pointed look.

"Well great, more to add to the list we need to worry about." Daphne groaned,  
>slamming her book shut.<p>

"I swear that I saw Flamel's name somewhere though!" I whined, shredding my fingers through my hair.

"We now. We've heard." Theodore drawled.

"We now, we've heard." I mocked in a squeaky tone. Resting my head on my hands.

Hermione patted my head with mock sympathy. "Don't you have a Chocolate frog in your pocket hun? Eat that. That will keep you quiet for a minute."

The others laughed.

I reached into my pocket grumbling about how mean she was to me. I slipped open the wrapper, crumbled it up, tossing it in the direction of Hermione's face. Or near her face. I heard it hit her hair and her huff of irritation.

I bit off the Chocolate Frog's leg, poor animated thing, and began to read the card that came with it.

"Who do you got?" Harry asked me as he swapped a book with another one that laid in the center of the table in a stack.

"Dumbles."

"Ah, I got him already." Harry frowned in disappointment.

"I'm pretty sure everyone does." Theodore snagged one of Daphne's sugar quills from her bag.

She sent glared up at him, tossing her silver locks over her shoulder.

I began to reread the text: 'Dumbledore is a particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'.

I couldn't help it. I screamed, jumped up from my seat, knocking my seat over in the process and jumped up and down "I've found him! I've found him! Told you I've read it before! That day on the train!"

"What?" They asked dumbfounded.

I began to reread the card aloud, becoming more and more excited towards the end. "Dumbledore is a particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel!"

Hermione gasped, brown doe eyes widening. "I can't believe I hadn't thought of it! Stay here!"

She then sprinted off towards one of the many shelves while Harry snatched the card away from me "No way!"

"You know how many of them I got and I've never noticed." Theodore said in shock, shaking his head.

"Well duh. You can't read." Daphne said in a 'what were you thinking' tone.

Hermione ran back moments later with an enormous book in her hands, efficiently cutting off Theodore in the process. "I never thought to look here! I got one out of the library for a bit of light reading."

"Light?" Theodore looked at the large book with wide eyes. Hermione promptly shushed him.

"Found it! I knew it!" Hermione squealed when she had found the appropriate page.

"We allowed to speak yet? "Theodore grumbled with a pout.

"Nicolas Flamel," Hermione whispered dramatically "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

I guess it didn't have quite the effect she was hoping for. Daphne was the only one who gasped, which was understandable, she was a book nerd too.

"The what?" The boys said simultaneously.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look—read that, there."

She pushed the book towards the two boys. I slipped into a seat closer so I could read the information easier.

The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.

There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See?" Hermione stressed after we had finished reading. "That dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying! No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it." Harry said astonished.

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" Daphne shook her head in pure wonder.

CcCcCc

Today was the day. The awaited for Quidditch match that the beloved Snape would be referring. Note sarcasm. I would be lying if I told you Harry was nervous. The boy was a bundle of jacked up nerves, nerves so jacked up that you couldn't even identify them as nerves anymore. I guess the fact that we were speaking to him as if it would be the last time we would ever see him alive probably didn't help. I'm guessing.

"Now it's Locomotor Mortis." Hermione whispered to us. Us as in Daphne, Theodore and myself.

We all had been secretly learning the Leg-Locker Curse in case Snape tried anything on Harry and I had gotten the idea when Malfoy did the same to Neville one day. Having Neville hop into the common room with his legs bound was quite a sight, but it kept him from really going anywhere. Our best bet was that Snape got distracted enough that he couldn't provide the counter curse, but when he finally could, Harry would be safely out of harm's way. I know what your thinking, wouldn't cursing a professor be against the rules!? Uh, duh. But why would that stop me?

"I know. Don't nag." Theodore grumbled. He does that a lot I've noticed.

I saw out of the corner of my eye that Ron, Seamus and Dean had decided to sit next to us. Why I noticed? I have no idea.

"Blimey, even Dumbledore came to watch!" Seamus yelped in surprise.

Maybe it was that.

I whipped my head in the direction he was looking and grinned. Snape would be an idiot to try anything with Dumbles around.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean." I heard Ron mutter.

I then looked over to where Snape was and he sure did look pissed as the teams made their way onto the field.

"Look they're oof- ouch!" Ron cried out suddenly.

We all swiveled in our seats to see Malfoy make his way into the stands "Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."

Crabbe and Goyle snickered dumbly.

I chuckled softly when Gryffindor got a penalty, I know, not good, but they got this penalty because George had whacked a Bludger at... I mean in Snape's general direction. Hermione fidgeted in her seat, fingers crossed, eyes fastened on Harry as he cumircled the game like a hawk.

"You know how I think they chose people for the Gryffindor team?" Malfoy asked loudly a few minutes later, Snape awarding Gryffindor another penalty for no apparent reason "Its people they feel sorry for. You see, Reynard who's got no mother, then there's the Weasley's who've got no money—you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville's face went bright red and he turned to face Malfoy and said shakily. "I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy."

The three Slytherins howled with laughter, but I merely patted Neville on the back, not daring to take my eyes off of Harry. "You tell him, Neville."

Lately the Gryffindors have been pitching in on boosting Neville's pride and self esteem. The kid had a poor amount of it. Our goal for him was to try and stick up for himself every once in a while, at least once.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

Ron spun around. "I'm warning you Malfoy—"

"Look!" Daphne screamed suddenly "Harry-!"

"What? Where?"

Harry had suddenly gone into a steep dive, drawing the whole crowd's attention. Hermione literally shoved her crossed fingers into her mouth.

"Hey, you're in luck, Weasley. Potters obviously spotted some money on the ground. Maybe he'd give some to you."

Ron snapped and jumped over his seat and onto the blonde. Neville hesitantly joined him.

"Come on, Harry!" Daphne screamed loudly.

Ron and Malfoy were now scuffling underneath Daphne's seat, not that she noticed though, but then again she also didn't hear the rather loud yelps coming from Neville, Crabbe and Goyle.

Snape turned in the air just in time to escape colliding with the emerald streak that was Harry. Harry pulled steeply out of his dive, Snitch clutched firmly in his hand. The stands erupted, pretty much exploding with noise. No one ever remembering a time when the Snitch has been caught that quickly.

"Harry's won! Slytherins in the lead!" Theodore cried happily.

Daphne wrapped her arms around a Slutherin girl in the seat before us, squeezing the girl happily, a wide grin on her face.

I was torn on the fact that Harry was safe and the fact that Slytherin was now in the lead, meaning Gryffindor was not. Judging by Hermione's face, she was thinking along the same page.

Harry jumped off his broom, landing on the firm ground, raising the Snitch high into the air. The match had only lasted at least five miutnes.

Damn.

CcCcCc

At dinner that night the Slytherins were absolutely beside themselves. It was getting quite annoying, but I guess we would have acted the same had Gryffindor won. I peaked over Hermione's shoulder at the book she was reading. Something about how to make your own spell. An interesting topic, but utterly boring text. I winked at George when I caught him watching me and he quickly looked away, his cheeks rosy. I exhaled dramatically, jamming my fist into my cheek, when something occurred to me. "Hey 'Mon."

She peered over her book, turning a page, almost irritated at being interrupted. "Yeah Hope?"

"A chair at the Head table is empty. No wait, two are."

Hermione looked up the hall towards the Head Table, she frowned. "Snape and Quirrell."

"I wonder what they're doing. Suspicious don't you think? When everyone else is a dinner."

Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You don't think he's going back after Fluffy do you?"

"Doubt it," I shook my head "not with Quirrell."

It couldn't have been a mintue later when Hedwig fluttered in, catching the eye of nearly the whole hall. Usually owls didn't come around this time of day, only in the morning or they met you in your dormitory or in some random corridor. Owls have great navigation!

Hedwig landed next to me, a letter clasped in her beak, she hooted softly. I gently grabbed the letter from her, Hermione already stroking her pure white feathers as she waited for me to finish. In untidy, chicken scratch writing was written:

_ Hope,_

_ Sometime after the game, I spotted Snape walking towards the Forbidden Forest. Its dinner, he should be eating. (Well duh) I followed him on my broom and he ended up meeting Quirrell!_  
><em> We were right! It is the Sorcerer's Stone! Snapes trying to force Quirrell to help him steal it, or he was already in on it anyway. He was asking Quirrell if he<em>  
><em> had found out how to get past something and about Quirrel's 'hocus-pocus'.<em>  
><em> They're up to something. I bet you other things are gurading the stone, besides Fluffy. I bet, since Quirrell is the DADA Professor, that he knows some aint-Dark Arts spell to help Snape get through!<em>  
><em> I'm sending this from outside the Great Hall, I'm betting everyone will look at Hedwig. I used your owl by the way. Don't look at me. It will raise<em>  
><em> suspicion.<em>

_ Harry_

I blew a loud raspberry and passed it to Hermione, who quickly read the note. She turned to me, obviously fighting the urge to look over at Harry just like I was "Wait, so the Stone is only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?"

I snatched back the letter and stuffed it in my pocket "It will be gone by next Tuesday then. Perfect."

Hermione bit into her broccoli and considered it "Unless Quirrell has been in it from the very start, like Harry proposed. Do you think?"

"P-poor s-s-stuttering P-professor Quirrell?" I mocked "Seems unlikely, but it would be a great cover. Think about it, the stuttering baboon who is somehow a DADA Professor, he must be good to be able to teach here. I mean look at McGonagall. His back stories are a bit pathetic, maybe it is all a front?"

Hermione glanced back at the two empty chairs. "Could be. Wonder where they are now."

I shrug. "You don't think that the other things guarding the stone are enchantments? Like spells and such."

Hermione looked at me, considering. "I wonder if the other teachers know about it. I bet you they could have helped place different and complicated enchantments and things like that on or around it. You know, to help protect it."


	13. Norbert The Dragon

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. Please Review, Favorite and Follow!**

**So sorry for the delay in this chapter! I really have no excuse for its tardiness except that I'm lazy. Guilty as charged! But I finally got Ron into the story and I plan on trying to keep him in it! UGH!**

**So this chapter is pretty long, hopefully that makes up for the delay, but there may be some spelling errors and such because I wanted this out sooner and don't really have a lot of time to revise. I'll revise it tomorrow! Promise! Thank you for all the support! **

**Bye! :)**

The common room was nearly half full, as it usually was this time of day. Or should I say night? Lately after finding out about Flamel, we had started to focus more on what was set to guard the stone rather than trying to find more about Flamel himself.

So there I sat, snuggled up in a armchair near the fireplace, reading a amusing book called 'Curses and Counter-Curses'. I mean, the book was great in theory, jinxes and curses about jelly-legs and some pimple jinx, but nothing in this book would help us with the stone, unless Quirrell was planning on defeating Snape with the Tongue-Tying curse.

I peered up from the book and watched Hermione as she furiously colored coded her notes and made up study charts, her already frizzy hair appearing bushier. She sighed exasperatedly, shoving her hair out of her face.

"'Mon, the exams are ages away." I spoke up after what seemed like three pink highlighters later.

"In ten weeks," she snapped immediately, snapping a blue highlighter closed. "that's not ages, that's like a second to Flamel."

I rolled my eyes, swiping away a few flyaway hairs. "But we're not six hundred years old. But seriously, what are you studying for, it's not like you don't know everything already."

"Seriously." Hermione asked me agape, bristling slightly. "Are you crazy? These exams Hope, these exams, are what determine if we can head to second year. I should've started studying months ago! I don't know what's gotten into me..."

I shook my head, glancing unsurely at the stack of homework that sat at my feet. Lately, the teachers have been thinking more along the lines of Hermione, handing out ungodly amounts of homework due the very next day. It was frustrating, especially with Hermione muttering the twelve uses of dragon blood under her breath repeatedly and swishing her hand around in practiced wand movements.

I groaned and slammed my book shut, slapping it into my bag before grabbing out my potions essay I needed to finish. I dipped my quill into a nearby ink well, watching as Hermione continued to mutter something about the Levitation Charm.

CcCcCc  
>"This is stupid." I spat, flipping a page bitterly.<p>

Hermione glanced up briefly, cracking a smile before looking back down at her textbook.

I looked out the nearest window longingly, the clear blue sky and gentle breeze calling me. It was one of the first actual fine days we've had in weeks.

Hermione looked up. "You do realize that books not going to read itself."

I huffed at her. "Yes I do realize that, thanks."

She looked back down at her book, dipping her quill in the ink, smirking. I licked my lips and smiled suddenly. "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library."

Hermione's head snapped up, surprise coloring her features.

Hagrid grudgingly came into view, hiding something behind his back and looking odd standing in the library in a large moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'." His voice was shifty. "An' what're you lot up ter?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Psh, no." I sniggered. "We found out about him ages ago. We also know what Fluffy is guarding, it's the Sorcerer's St-"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around wildly. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"Lots of things." I said brightly. "But there were a few things we wanted to ask you, actually, like what's guarding the Stone-"

"SHHHH! Listen- come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren't s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh..."

"Mkay, see you later then." I waved at him cheerfully, Hermione bidding him goodbye.

"Whatcha think he was hiding behind his back?" Hermione mussed thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her quill feather.

"Do you think it's got anything to do with the Stone?"

Hermione shrugged, still mulling over the interaction in her mind.

"I'm going to go see what section he was in." I leapt up from my seat and dashed into a isle. When I returned, a handful of books in my arms, I grinned excitedly. I dropped them ceremoniously onto the table.

"Dragons!" I whispered fiercely.

Hermione snatched a few books and began to read them aloud. "_Dragons Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide_."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon." I informed her. "Told me first time I met him."

"But it's against our laws." She pointed out with furrowed eyebrows. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that."

I blinked at her. "I didn't know that. How do you even know that?! But, there aren't any wild dragon in Britain, right?"

"Course they are." She shrugged. "I don't know what breed, but I bet there are."

I looked off in the direction Hagrid had disappeared to. "What is he up to?"

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Later at Hagrid's hut you could tell that something was up. It wasn't anything prominent, just the fact that the curtains were closed, but Hagrid rarely ever closed his curtains. I traded a glance with Hermione and knocked sharply on the door. "Who is it?" He had asked before he would even let us in.

Inside was boiling hot, a fire blazing inside the grate, despite the fact that it was a rather warm day. Hagrid handed us each a cup of tea. "So, yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," I began quickly, getting straight to the point. "we were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Stone, you know, apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned at me. "O' course I can't. Number one, I don't know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That's stone here's fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts, I s'ppose yeh've worked out an' all. Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know. You know everything that goes on round here." Hermione blinked up at Hagrid innocently, speaking in a warm and flattering voice. "We only wondered who had done the guarding really, who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you of course."

Hagrid's chest swelled with pride.

I positively beamed at her.

"Well, I don't s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that, let's see, he borrowed Fluffy from me... Then some o' the teachers did enchantments. Professor Sprout- Professor Flitwick- Professor McGonagall- an' Dumbledore himself did somethin' o' course. Oh, an' Professor Snape, too." He ticked them all off on his fingers.

"Snape?"

"Yeah, yer still not abou' that, are yeh. Look, Snape helped ter protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

So that's why he was after Quirrell, Snape I mean. It probably wasn't that hard to find out how the other teachers had guarded. So all he needed was how to get past Fluffy and Quirrell's spell.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, right Hagrid." I asked after a moment, uncertain. "You wouldn't tell any of the other Professors, would you?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore." Hagrid replied proudly.

"Well... that's something." Hermione muttered to me lowly. "Hagrid, couldn't you open a window? I'm dying."

"Can't, Hermione, sorry." Hagrid glanced subconsciously over at the fire. I frowned and glanced over too.

I gasped. "Hagrid, what is that?"

But I already knew what it was. In the heart of the fire, under the kettle, was a large, black egg.

"Ah, that's-" Hagrid fiddled with his beard.

"Where did you get it?" Hermione asked, couching closer to the egg.

"Must have costed you a fortune." I crouched down beside her.

"I won it. Las' night. I was down in the village Havin' a few drinks an' got into a game of cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad to get rid of it, ter be honest."

"What are you going to do with it once it's hatched?" Hermione looked up at Hagrid, swatting my hand away from the egg in the process.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'." Hagrid motioned at the large books covering his bed. "Got this outta the library, _Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit_, it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on em, an' when it hatched, feed em on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here, how ter recognize diff'rent eggs, what I got there is a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

Hermione blinked at him incredulously, looking at me in pure exasperation. "But Hagrid, you live in a wooden house."

CcCcCc

I bit into a piece of toast, making a face when a few strands of my hair came with it. Hermione snorted, going back to her porridge in a vain attempt to hide her sniggers. I slowly pulled a saliva engulfed hair strand out of my mouth, flicking my hand so it fell to the floor. It was just then that an owl swooped down beside me, dropping a small tear of parchment before flying off. I snatched it up before Hermione could. It read: It's hatching.

I looked at Hermione expectedly. "So we are skipping Herbology right?"

Hermione looked at me appealed. "No Hope, we aren't."

I pouted. "Oh c'mon Mione, how many dragon hatchings as we ever going to witness!?"

"No, we've got lessons and we'll get into trouble." I peered over her shoulder as she spoke. "And I can't imagine the trouble Hagrid would get into when someone finds out what he's-"

I clamped a hand over her mouth, receiving a ticked off glare in response. "Shh! Shush!"

Hermione ripped me hand off her mouth and huffed. "What?"

"Malfoy." I mouthed.

Hermione slowly turned in her seat just in time to see a very excited Malfoy walk off. "I don't like the look on his face." I sniffed.

Hermione looked at me worriedly. "How much do you think he heard."

I shook my head. "Too much I'm bettin'."

CcCcCc

Hermione had allowed us to go and visit Hagrid after Herbology, which is exactly what we did, nearly throwing down our towels immediately when the bell rang. We met a greatly flustered, but excited Hagrid right outside the door. He ushered us in. "It's nearly out."

Hermione and I ran over and promptly sat in a few chairs, bringing them closer to the table. The egg now had a large crack down its side, something inside was moving and making funny clicking noises.

Suddenly, actually rather fast, there was a crunching noise and the egg split open. Oddly enough the dragon looked like an odd, crumpled umbrella... It's spiny wings were huge compared to its tiny jet black body, it's nostrils were wide upon his narrow snout, the 'horns' were only stubs and its orange eyes bulged.

It sneezed, shooting out a couple of sparks.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured lovely, going to pat the thing on the head only to have it snap at Hagrid with sharp fangs.

I wondered briefly how he knew it was a male, but forget it a second later as Hagrid spoke again in a lovey-dovey, lovesick manner. I stared at him."Ah bless him, he knows his mummy."

Hermione glanced around the small confinement that was Hagrid's house. "Hey, Hagrid. How fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow?"

Hagrid opened his mouth to answer, bushy beard twitching, when his face drained of all color. He leapt up and ran over to the window.

I studied him curiously. "What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains. It's a kid, runnin' back up ter the school."

Hermione and I bolted towards the door, managing to both open the door and run into each other in the process, peeking out. There was no mistaking him, even at such a distance.

Draco Malfoy had seen the dragon.

CcCcCc

"Why won't he just let it free?" Daphne asked me the next day in our 'regular hangout', the library.

"Hagrid said Norbert was too little and that he'd die out there alone." Hermione told her, taking her fist out of her cheek and setting it on the table.

"Who's Norbert?" Theodore asked suddenly.

Everyone turned to look at him. Harry sighed. "Have you been listening at all?"

"Um...no."

"At least he admitted it." I muttered as Harry explained that Norbert was said dragon in question.

Daphne glanced over at me. "So, what's he gonna do with him when, you know, he gets to big."

"That's the point," I explained. "we have to get Hagrid to get rid of Norbert, but I just don't know how."

"Wait, we're killing the thing?!" Theodore snapped his head up to stare at us all.

"No!" We cried simultaneously, Harry smacking Theodore upside the head.

"M'kay geesh." He muttered, rubbing his head with a pout.

"So, let me get this right. Somehow, with some miracle, we have to get Norbert out of Hogwarts without Hagrid getting caught and hope that Malfoy doesn't turn you all in?" Harry required deliberately.

Hermione and I traded a look. "Yes."

"So... any ideas?" Daphne asked up suddenly, pulling a sugar quill out of her mouth and looking at us all expectantly.

"No." I replied rather hastily, shaking my head, which was hard mind you in my current position. I was sitting in one of the overly large beanbag chairs the library had, resting my feet up into the air with my head smushed against the carpet.

Hermione shook her head negatively, as did Harry, and as did Theodore after a jab at his ribs.

I rearranged my shoulders, thinking. Something occurred to me as I slowly sat myself up. "Hey, I think I've got an idea."

CcCcCc

"Hey Ron!" I yelled as I entered the common room, Hermione lingering behind me.

Ron looked up from watching Dean and Seamus play a game of chess. "Oh, hey Hope, Hermione."

Hermione smiled timidly, glancing over at me. "I've been meaning to ask you-"

"Why would you want to ask Ickle Ronniekins anything?" A voice said from my left.

I looked over and jumped. "George!" I swatted at his chest.

"What?" The other twin, who I knew for a fact was Fred, appeared beside George.

I raised an eyebrow. "Nu-uh. You my friend are Fred, he's George."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken my dear." Fred shook his head fondly, patting my head.

I swatted at his hand. "I know that you're Fred and he's George, I told you two, you can't trick me."

George grinned at me while Fred huffed. "Whatever, come on Freddie."

George winked at me. "Coming Georgie."

I rolled my eyes exasperatedly. "Honestly, how can you live with those two?"

Ron shrugged with a smile. "I lock myself up in my room pretty much... but it's pretty amazing you can tell them apart, I can't even do that."

Dean and Seamus snorted while I laughed. "Eleven years later..." I joked.

Ron grinned. "Right, so, uh, what did you need again?"

"Oh! Right! Can we talk to you?" I motioned at Hermione and myself.

Ron shrugged, standing up. "I suppose..."

"Great!" I grabbed his hand and proceeded to drag Ron out of the common room, finally resting right outside the Fat Lady's portrait.

"So," I began after a glance over at Hermione. "it would seem, in a certain uh light, that we're in trouble and we need your help."

Ron's eyebrows rose. "My help?"

We both nodded. "Yea, so, would you help?"

"Can I get more details?" He questioned.

Hermione looked at me. "Um, not really. I mean usually yes, but not now. It's sort of secret."

If it was possible Ron's eyebrows raised even higher. "It's secret? So, ok, is it dangerous, illegal?"

"Why would you ask that?" Hermione asked in surprise.

Ron grinned at me. "Hope's just like Fred and George, so I'm just guessing. Was I right?"

I grinned back at him. "It involves illegal smuggling, and if you dare say drugs I will hex you, and I think you'd be a valuable asset."

"What are we smuggling?" He asked in amusement.

"But there's one, how should I word this, draw back." I ignored his question, thinking about what his reaction would be.

"And that is?"

"You'd be working with Slytherins." I cringed as Ron made a face and made to walk back into the common room.

I grabbed his arm. "Oh come on, they're not going to hurt you! Please, Ron, we need your help."

Ron looked between Hermione and I, judging our now desperate faces. He sighed. "Fine. But I'm leaving the-"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." I cut him off. "Don't tell no one, meet us in the library tomorrow after lunch."

"The library-" he began, but it was Hermione who cut him off.

"Honestly Ronald, it's just a library, you can survive one day in it."

CcCcCc

I giggled at something Theodore said, flipping my feet off the table. "Hey Ronnie!"

Ron glared at the nickname, taking a seat beside me and watching the Slytherins warily. I rolled my eyes. "So, anyway-"

"Wait, so how big is Norbert now?" Harry asked suddenly, reopening our earlier conversation.

I sighed dramatically, which was of course, ignored.

"Big." Was all Hermione replied. "Smokes starting to come out of his nostrils already."

Ron looked at me in confusion. "Ok, well, we need your help smuggling a dragon." I deadpanned.

Ron's mouth dropped open and I closed it with a snap of his jaws. "A dragon?!"

I nodded, shooting Theodore a strange look as he asked a rather strange question about Norbert. "Yeah..." I began to explain our whole situation and by the end of it our table had grown quiet and Ron blinked at me for a moment.

"And how can I help with, with this?"

"I remember George saying something about a brother... Charlie was it?" I questioned. "Says he does something with dragons for his job."

Ron's eyes lit up. "Oh, yeah. Charlie works at a dragon reserve in Romania."

"You think you could get him to take Norbert." Harry questioned with a hint of excitement.

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "I can send him a letter."

A second later a quill and a piece of parchment were being thrown at him, an ink well slid across the table. "Then get to it." Daphne ordered. It was hard to pinpoint if she had meant to act so strict or if it was all a façade.

Ron popped open the ink well, dipping his quill in, muttering something about pushy snakes.

CcCcCc

I glanced up when Ron dropped a letter onto my Potions book. I looked at him before looking down at the letter.

_Dear Ron,_

_How are you? Thanks for the letter- I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy bringing him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

_Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._

_Send me an answer as soon as possible._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

"Awe, your brothers all cute." I heard Hermione mutter over my shoulder.

I looked back up at Ron. "That would be tricky, seeing as that's after curfew..."

Ron nodded, sitting down beside us. "That's what I was thinking, but I bet we can find someway to get it done."

"Someone could act as a distraction." Hermione piped up.

"I vote for...not myself."

Ron chuckled. "I'm the reason you can finally get rid of the thing, offer me up and the deals off."

Hermione rolled her eyes at us.

CcCcCc

"I can't believe Hagrid agreed to this."

"Well, Norbert would be with other dragons, so naturally it makes sense he would say yes."

"Yeah, but how are we going to do this?" I asked, cutting through Daphne and Harry's conversation.

"What?" Harry asked stupidly.

"How are we going to get Norbert up to the Astronomy tower at midnight?" I repeated.

"Oh, don't worry, I've got that covered." Was all Harry said before he tried to continue his discussion.

"Care to share it to the class?" I asked dryly. Hermione and Ron swiveled in their seats to look at him expectedly.

Harry seemed to consider before he repented with a rather over the top sigh. "Fine, you can't tell anyone though-"

"Seriously? We're smuggling an illegal dragon after curfew and we're going up to the Astronomy Tower which is restricted. I'm pretty sure no ones going to tell." Ron pointed out dully.

Harry bit his lip. "Fine, well, we can get up to the Astronomy Tower without getting caught cause I have an Invisibility Cloak..."

"A what?!"

"An Invisibility Cloak." He repeated, waiting for our reactions.

I looked at Hermione and Ron who seemed to shocked to speak. I shrugged. "That really doesn't surprise me, where'd you get it?"

Harry faltered. "Uh, um, our dad."

I nodded, thinking, locking away that little piece of information for later. "Huh... So, we're good then?"

"Yeah, but who's going to bring Norbert up to the Tower?" Hermione finally questioned, seeming to have gotten over the face that Harry had an invisibility cloak.

"I don't want to and I'm afraid Theo would be to loud." Daphne looked apologetically at Theodore.

He shrugged. "I didn't think a cage, myself and one other person would fit under it anyway."

"So, the smaller people then." Ron clarified.

Harry nodded. "But also strong enough to help support the cage."

"Ok, so Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hope." Theodore looked at each of us pointedly. "Who wants too?"

"Nope." Hermione said quickly, scooting her chair backwards.

"I don't care." I spoke up after a moment of having several pairs of eyes land on me. "Why do you guys always look at me?"

"It seems like something you would want to do?" Ron offered up.

"True, alright fine, I'll do it." I looked at Harry and Ron. "Who's gonna be my partner?"

"How about you Ron, not that I'm backing out or anything, (Sure.) hush Daphne, but these are his brother's friends." Harry glared at the blonde.

Ron nodded. "Alright, sure." He looked at me. "Looks like we're partners."

No one noticed the blonde head duck behind a shelf of books, a smirk upon his pointed, pale face.

CcCcCc

I held the silvery bundle of cloth that was the Invisibility Cloak, marveling at how soft and thin it was. Harry had handed it over to me that night after dinner. I stood inside Hagrid's freakishly warm hut, standing next to Ron as Hagrid said goodbye to Norbert. Ron had looked at the dragon in wonder the first time he had seen him, but after Norbert had tried to make a snack out of Ron's leg, he quickly decided distance was his friend.

"He's got lots o' rats for the journey an' some brandy." Hagrid told us in a muffled voice. "An' I packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

Ron looked at me oddly when a ripping noise came from the crate.

"Bye-bye Norbert." Hagrid sobbed. "Mummy will never forget you!"

I shifted there awkwardly throughout the teary exchange, tossing the Invisibility Cloak over us and the cage when it was time to leave. The trek up to the Astronomy Tower was long and tiresome, honestly I had no idea how we had managed to make it al the way up without collapsing. We had neared the last corridor to the tower when something made us stop in our tracks, nearly dropping the crate. We shrank further into the shadows. A lamp flared.

Professor McGonagall came around the corner, holding Malfoy by the ear. "Detention and twenty points form Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how _dare_ you-"

"You don't understand, Professor, Hope Potter's coming- she's got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tells such lies! Come on- I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

Ron let out a breath when they had left.

Finally at the top of the tower and cloak free did Ron grin wickedly. "Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"

"I dare you too."

"I said _could_ Hope, _could_."

We both sat down upon the ice cold floor, a breeze tickling our hair. Nearly ten minutes later ten broomsticks appeared from the darkness. As it turned out, Charlie's friends were a cherry lot, explaining the harness they had brought along to suspend Norbert between them. I thanked them happily, Ron telling them to tell his brother he said hi. We grinned and each other when you could no longer spot Norbert and gave each other a high-five.

We both started to hop down the stairs of the tower, radiating happiness. Nothing could spoil this moment.

We turned a corner and came face to face with Filch, who gave a nasty smile at the sight of us. "Well, well, well, we _are_ in trouble."

We had left the Invisibility Cloak at the top of the tower.

"Oh shit."


	14. The Forbidden Forest

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. **

**All I can say is thanks _so_ much for all the support!**

**Don't forget to review, follow and favorite! **

**Bye! :)**

I bit my lip and allowed my legs to swing back and forth, tapping absentmindedly on the desk before me.

"Would you cut that out?!" Ron asked me agitatedly.

"Sorry." I mumbled, clasping my hands in my lap.

How could we have been so stupid!? We forgot the damned cloak!

As we both sat there in McGonagall's office, feeble excuses and cover stories flew around in our heads. I groaned helplessly, there was no way out of this. We were out after curfew and up in the Astronomy tower, add in the dragon and the Cloak and we might as well accept our years' detention now.

Ron and I both tensed when the door knob jiggled and our eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when McGonagall walked in with none other than Neville Longbottom trailing behind her.

"Hope!" Neville burst as soon as he saw us. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy say he was going to catch you, said you had a dra–"

I coughed violently, staring at him with wide eyes.

McGonagall seethed, looking as if steam would burst out of her ears at any moment. "I never would have believed it any of you. Mr. Filch said you were up in the Astronomy Tower, it's one o'clock in the morning. _Explain yourselves_."

Ron looked over and caught my eye, we both just stared, unable to come up with a suitable excuse.

"I think I've got a good idea on what's going on. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. You fed Mr. Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom heard the story and believed it, too?" She stared us down, practically livid.

I tried to convey to Neville that that wasn't true, but without words I just ended up looking guilty. That hurt look in Neville's eyes stung.

"I'm disgusted." She began. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detention– yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous– and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

A stunned silence filled the room. "Fifty?" Ron finally choked out.

"Fifty points _each_." By now McGonagall was breathing heavily through her nose.

"Professor– please–"

"You can't–"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Weasley. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

Stunned and guilty we all walked back to Gryffindor Tower in complete silence. In one night we had lost a hundred and fifty points, terminating any chances Gryffindor may have had at winning the House cup.

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That morning I stayed in bed as long as Hermione would let me, though she was growing agitated at the fact that class would soon be starting and because I still hadn't told her about last night. I slipped my bag over my shoulder. "Let's get Ron and then I'll tell you, 'kay?"

Hermione sighed heavily. "Alright."

Down in the common room, sitting in one of the armchairs was Ron. He stood up as we came down the stairs. "Hey."

"Hello Ronald."

"Hi…"

"Okay, spit it out right now! The both of you!" Hermione glared at us with hands on her hips, a frown upon her face.

With identical sighs Ron and I began to describe what had occurred last night. Hermione was quiet for a moment after we had finished, her lips pursed. Finally, after a moment, did Hermione speak. "Well… I hadn't expected that to happen."

"Neither did we."

CcCcCc

As we entered the Great Hall multiple heads turned towards us, a majority of the students scowled. Apparently the rumor of Hope Potter and a bunch of other first years had spread around the school, them being the reason for the one hundred and fifty decrease in Gryffindor's house points. I turned to give Ron a look. He simply sighed and shook his head.

We took a seat, waving away the Slytherins who were yelling things like 'Thanks Potter, we own you one'."

"Damn straight." I mumbled halfheartedly, not even noticing Hermione's mouth moving wordlessly as she talked to Harry and Daphne from across the room.

I felt someone chuckle and soon Fred and George were sitting across the table from us. Ron's eyes narrowed immediately.

"I thought you loved us Ronnie." Fred pouted at his younger brother.

"I can't believe you didn't deal us in." George frowned at us disapprovingly.

"What are you two on about?" I grumbled, clearly not in the mood to deal with their antics.

"About last night,"

"you lost us one hundred and fifty points,"

"something must have went down last night."

I flittered my head between the two as they spoke. I rolled my eyes. "This is hardly something to be proud of."

"You should be,"

"it's clearly a new record."

"Awe thanks, means a lot." Dry sarcasm.

"You're welcome." Fred grinned at me.

"Ok, so have _you two_ ever lost one hundred and fifty points in one day?" I challenged.

Their smiles dropped slightly.

"Well no…" George trailed off. "But that's the reason it's so cool you two did."

"You do realize we are making this our personal mission to beat losing one hundred and fifty points in one night, right?" Fred titled his head, a serious expression covering his freckled face.

I sighed. "At least no one going to hate you two for doing so. We just crushed everyone's dreams of Slytherin NOT winning the house cup."

"Well, with Potter on the Quidditch team and the fact that they keep winning, Gryffindor wouldn't have won anyway." George gave me a soft smile, attempting to lighten the mood somewhat.

A smile I couldn't help but mirror onto my own face, if ever so slightly.

George grinned triumphantly. "Aha! See, she smiles. I made you smile, you're welcome."

I laughed. "That you did George, thanks."

CcCcCc

"It can't be that bad."

"That bad? Everyone hates us." My voice came out raspy and muffled due to the fact that my face was smashed against my arm.

"At least Malfoy has detention." Daphne reminded me.

It was Ron who groaned. "Ah man, we're gonna have detention with him, aren't we?"

I gave a fake sob. I pulled on Hermione's sleeve, pouting. "Kill me. Please Mon, just end my misery."

"Stop being so overly dramatic, you're life's not over." She slapped my hand off her arm.

"But a hundred and fifty points in one day!" Theodore muttered, astonished.

"Theodore!" Everyone yelled at him.

"What?!"

Ron and I groaned, burying our heads into our arms. Our lives were officially ruined.

CcCcCc

How sad is it that I'm glad exams weren't far away? Let me answer that for you. Very. Very, very, very sad.

You know how hard it is to remember potion ingredients to various potions, to memorize important historical discoveries and goblin rebellions or to remember spells and charms? Very.

Ever since the 'incident' Hermione, Harry, Daphne, Theodore, Ron and I have spent all out free time filling Ron in on Snape's attempts to get the Stone and to cram our brains with as much information as we possibly could.

I was on my way towards the library, shocking I know, when I had heard the whimpering. That stupid curiosity had gotten the better of me, again. I pressed myself into the wall, listening. "No, no, not again– please–"

That was defiantly Quirrell.

"Alright– alright–" The man sorta sobbed. Someone must have been threatening him.

I had just enough time to jump out of Quirrell's way as he came barreling out of the classroom, clutching onto his turban. He was pale and looked as if he was about to cry.

I peered into the darkened classroom, the door on the other end was slightly ajar. I looked back in the direction of Quirrell, betting everything I had that Snape was on the other side of the door and walking with a new spring in his step. It appeared that Quirrell had given in.

I hurried the few corridors to the library, running over to our 'honorary' table. Hermione and Daphne were attempting to help Ron with Astronomy while Theodore and Harry were doing a potions essay.

I quickly gained their attention and told them about what had just happened.

"Snape's done it then!" Theodore threw his hands up into the air. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spells…"

"There's still Fluffy, though, right?" Ron asked.

"Maybe Snape's already found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid." Harry suggested.

"I bet there's gotta be a book somewhere in here telling you how to past a three-headed dog." Daphne gazed at all the books that littered our table and all the ones that sat on shelves throughout the library.

"So what do we do?" Theodore asked aloud.

"Go to Dumbledore. We should have done that ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure!" Hermione told us firmly, Daphne nodding her head in agreement.

"We hadn't been thrown out yet." I told her in a teasing tone. "And look at all we've done so far."

"We've got no proof though!" Harry said exasperatedly. "Quirrell's to scared to back us up. All Snape has to say is he has no idea how the troll had gotten in Halloween day and he was no where near the third floor– who do you think they'll believe, him or us? I mean, it's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumble's will think we've made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, the more students thrown out the better, he'll say. Besides, we aren't supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take some explaining."

Welp, that pretty much convinced all of us, save Theodore.

"If we just did a bit of poking around…"

"We've done enough poking around."

And I couldn't agree more.

CcCcCc

_You're detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall._

_Professor M. McGonagall _

"Damn, I had hoped she'd forgotten." I admitted that morning at breakfast when this note had been delivered to Ron, Neville and I.

At eleven o'clock that night I bid goodbye to the twins and Hermione, heading down the stairs with Neville and Ron. We met Filch and Malfoy in the entrance hall, following Filch out the large doors.

Filch's lantern burned bright in the dark of the night, illuminating Filch's disgusting leering face. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking rules again, don't yeh, eh? Oh yes, pain and hard work are the best teachers if you ask me. It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out… hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days. I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed. Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

Not that any of us were even thinking of running, we were all too busy exchanging creeped out glances, even with Malfoy. I can't believe Filch hasn't been sacked yet, then again, why hasn't Snape?

As we marched across the grounds, Neville sniffling as we walked along, we wondered how bad our punishment was. I mean, Filch was practically smiling.

The otherwise bright moon was currently obscured by clouds, wrapping us all in a blanket of darkness.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Hagrid. We all seemed to relax, if only slightly. Even Malfoy relaxed marginally, but I guess being in the presence of a six foot giant with a crossbow would do that to a person.

Filch sneered at us. "I bet you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well think again, it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

Neville moaned, Ron paled, I deflated a bit and Malfoy stopped in his tracks. "The forest? We can't do in there at night– there's all sorts of things in there, (cue wolf howl) werewolves I heard."

Neville clutched onto my robes, making a choking sound.

"But that's your problem, isn't it." Filch sounds more mad than usual when he's happy. "Should have thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't yeh?"

I patted Neville's arm consolingly, looking over at a pale Ron.

A bark nearly had us all jumping out of our skins, except Filch of course. Fang came running up the hill towards up, Hagrid following behind. "About time. I bin waitin' fer half an hour already."

Filch ignored him, giving us all a nasty grin. "I'll be back at dawn, for what's left of them."

"I'm not going in that forest." Malfoy told Hagrid firmly.

"Yer are if yer want to stay at Hogwarts. Yeh've done wrong an now yeh've got ter pay for it." Hagrid replied fiercely.

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something. If my father knew I was doing this, he'd–"

"–tell yea that's how it is at Hogwarts." Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's ter anyone? Yeh' do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back ter the castle en pack!"

Malfoy glared at Hagrid with as much venom as he could muster, but eventually dropped his gaze.

"Right then," Hagrid clapped his hands. "Now listen carefully, cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

Hagrid brought us towards the edge of the forest, pointing down an earthen track covered in thick bushes that swayed from the breeze.

"Look there, you see that stuff on the ground?" Hagrid pointed.

Ron squinted his eyes. "That silvery stuff?"

"Yea, that's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second one this week, found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna go in there an try an find the poor thing, we might have ter put it outta its misery." Hagrid explained, beard moving along with the wind.

"And what happens if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" Malfoy's voice was trickled with fear, but I knew we had all been thinking the same thing.

"There's nothing in that forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang. Keep ter the path, right, now we're gonna split into two parties and follow the trail in different directions. There's blood all over the place, musta been staggering since last night."

I felt bad for the poor thing, it was pretty sad.

"I want Fang." Malfoy said quickly, eyeing Fang's teeth.

"Alright, but I warn yeh, he's a big coward." Hagrid jostled the quiver of arrows on his shoulder. "So me, Ron, and Hope'll go one way an Draco, Neville, an Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us find the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get your wand out an practice now– that's it. An if anyone gets in trouble send up red sparks, an we'll all come and find yeh, so be careful, let's go."

We walked into the pitch black, Hagrid, Ron and I taking the left road while Malfoy, Neville and Fang took the right. Every once in awhile a patch of moonlight would seep through the leaves, casting an eerie glow upon the blood.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorn?" Ron asked.

"Not fast enough, it's hard ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I've never heard of one been hurt before."

Well that was comforting.

I trailed my fingers against the fungus that was growing on a tree stump, turning down another winding path.

"You alright Hope?" Hagrid whispered to me. "Don' worry, it can't've gotten far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter– GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

I squealed loudly, having gotten my eardrums blasted out by Hagrid's loud volume. I felt Ron's hand on my waist and he was pulling me behind a nearby tree, we both stood there petrified, faces pale.

Hagrid pulled out an arrow, aiming. The distinct sound of something slithering could be heard, sounding much like a cloak trailing over dead leaves. We stood there with baited breathe, listening. Eventually it faded.

"Knew it. Knew summat was in here that shouldn't be." Hagrid muttered, putting away his arrow.

"Werewolf?" Ron suggested, still standing beside me. I let out a gush of breathe.

"That wasn't no werewolf, an it wasn't no unicorn neither. Right, follow me, be careful, now."

Ron and I climbed over a bundle of fallen twigs, standing once again on the path. We walked a few steps more, ears straining, when something up ahead moved.

"Who's there? Show yourself, I'm armed." Hagrid yelled thunderously.

Ron and I took a step behind Hagrid, watching as a creature came forward. Our jaws dropped. From the torso up it was a man with red hair and a beard, but from the waist down was that of a chestnut horse with a long red tail.

"Oh, it's just you Ronan." Hagrid lowered his crossbow. "How are you?"

"Good evening to you Hagrid." His voice was rather sad. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan." Hagrid finished shaking the man's hand. "There's summat bad in this forest. Oh, this is Hope Potter and Ronald Weasley, by the way. Students up at the school. This is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur."

"We've noticed." I said feebly.

"Good evening." Ronan said. "Students, are you? Do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm." Ron looked at me.

"A bit."

"A bit. Well that's something." Ronan sighed. He looks up at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

Ron and I both looked up in the direction he was looking, seeing nothing but dark leaves. We glanced at him in confusion.

"Yeah," Hagrid glanced up too. "Listen, I'm glad we ran into you, Ronan, a unicorns bin hurt, you seen anythin'?"

Ronan was silent for a moment, blinking upward. He sighed again. "The innocent are always the first victims. So it had been for ages past, so it will be now."

Umm what?

"Yeah, but have you seen anything, Ronan, anything unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight." Ronan repeated. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit closer ter home." Hagrid said impatiently. "So, yeh notice anythin stranger?"

Ronan looked at us. "The forest hides many secrets."

"Yup, thanks for that." I muttered to Ron who snickered in response.

A bush shook behind Ronan, Hagrid raised his crossbow, but it was only a second centaur. This one black-haired, wider and more wild looking.

"Hullo Bane." Hagrid greeted. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope all is well?"

"Well enough. Look, I just bin askin Ronan, you see anything strange here? A unicorns bin injured, you yeh know anythin about it?"

"Mars is bright tonight."

I slapped a hand over my own mouth in an effort to sustain my giggles, a impatient Hagrid was actually kinda funny.

"We've heard. Well, if either of you do see anythin, let me know, would yeh? We'll be off then." Hagrid grumpily lead us away.

"Never try an' get a straight answer outta centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anything closer than the moon." Hagrid said irritably.

"Are there many of them in here?" I asked.

"Oh, a fair few… Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turning up if I ever want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs… they know things… jus' don' let on much."

"Do you think it was a centaur we heard earlier?"

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that's what's bin killin' the unicorns– never heard anything like it before."

Again. So comforting.

We walked in silence further on, trying to peer through the murk. I glanced around a lot, having the sickening feeling of being watched. Suddenly Ron grabbed Hagrid's arm. "Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here! Stay on the path, I'll come back fer yeh."

We watched as Hagrid cut through the foliage, running in the direction of the sparks.

Ron shuddered beside me. "I'm never coming back in here again."

And for some reason I found that hilarious, because moments later I was laughing hysterically. Ron stood there stunned until he began to laugh too. I guess all that tension had built up and we needed to let it all out somehow.

Finally the laugher ceased and we stood there listening to the rustling of the leaves and feeling the cool brush of the breeze. We both shivered.

"I'm never coming in here again, either."

Ron snorted.

A pause. "You don't think they've been hurt do you?"

Ron shrugged. "I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville… it's our fault he's here in the first place."

I nodded.

It seemed like ages when the others had finally arrived. Apparently Malfoy had thought it would be funny to sneak up behind Neville and grab him as a joke. Neville panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin, now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups– Neville you with me an Ron, Hope, you go with Fang an this idiot. I'm sorry," he added in a whisper. "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we gotta get this done."

I saw Ron bristle slightly.

Malfoy and I inched deeper into the forest, following the thickening silver trail of blood. Fang kept close by, squeezing past us as the path got narrower. I narrowed my eyes, holding my hand out to stop Malfoy. "Hold up, you see that?"

Malfoy took a step closer to see. "The unicorn."

Which it was indeed. Lying in a clearing up ahead was the unicorn, alright, but dead. We slowly inched closer, peering at the beautiful white creature. It's legs were splayed out, it's mane casting a faint glow upon the ground.

A faint slithering noise could be heard, like earlier before, and a bush nearby shook. A cloaked figure emerged from the depths of the forest, crawling across the floor like a beast. My breath hitched in my throat. Malfoy and Fang froze beside me. We watched, paralyzed, as the thing crept upon the unicorn and began to drink it's blood.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Malfoy and Fang bolted, running and screaming in the opposite direction.

The creature lifted its head, blood slowly dripping from its chin, looking straight at me. I made a choking noise, taking a step backwards. The creature straightened, stalking towards me. I felt my arm blaze like it was on fire. I hit a tree root and fell backwards.

I heard galloping and felt something jump over my head, charging the creature. It was centaur, though younger than either Bane or Ronan. This one has blonde-white hair and a palomino body.

He offered me his hand, helping me up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I paused, breathing deeply. "What was that thing?!"

The centaur didn't answer, he gazed at me with brilliant blue eyes. "Who are you?" He asked me finally.

"Hope Potter." I focused my gaze on his face.

"Well, you had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time. Can you ride? It would be faster."

"My name is Firenze." He informed me, lowering himself so I could climb onto his back.

More thundering and soon Bane and Ronan were standing in the clearing with us. Bane glowered. "Firenze! What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

Bane looked at me. "What have you been telling her? Remember, Firenze, we have sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the earth nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best."

"For the best? What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!" Bane slashed back angrily.

Firenze reared up on his hind legs in anger. I clutched at his mane tightly, lacing my fingers through the coarse hair.

"Do you not see that unicorn? Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in the forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must." Firenze bellowed.

Firenze turned around swiftly, nearly unseating me in the process. We plunged into the forest, leaving the other two behind.

To say I was confused was an understatement. I had no clue as to what had just happened.

"Why's Bane so angry?" I finally asked. "Also, what was that thing? You know, the thing you saved me from."

Firenze didn't answer, warning me to lower my head when we passed underneath a low hanging branch. I wrinkled my nose when a few strands of hair had gotten snagged, but otherwise stayed quiet.

We carried on for quite a while in silence, so I assumed that Firenze was done talking. Finally. "Hope Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

I frowned, racking my brain for any sort of information along those lines. "Um, no. We only use the horn and tail hair in Potions…"

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to kill a unicorn. Only one who has nothing to lose and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of the unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to safe yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment that blood touches your lips."

I shook my head as I thought it over. "But who would be that desperate? If your going to be cursed forever, deaths better, right?"

"It is," Firenze agreed. "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else– something that would bring you back to full strength and power– something that will mean you can never die. Miss Potter, do you know what is hidden up at the school at this very moment."

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course, the Elixir of Life!" I replied immediately, having reached that conclusion near the end of Firenze's speech. "But I don't understand who–"

"Can you think of anybody who has waited many years to return to power. Someone who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

I sat there in silence, thinking. It was then that I remembered Hagrid's words, the ones he had told me the day we had met: 'Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion, dunno if he had enough human left in him to die'. I felt my stomach drop. "So you mean, you think, that Vold–"

"Hope!" A figure was running towards us, a redheaded figure. Ron.

"I'm alright." I said hurriedly. "Oh, Hagrid, the unicorns dead. It's in that clearing over there."

I pointed in the general direction, watching as Hagrid slowly reached us, but then set off again.

"This is were I leave you." Firenze lowered down so I could jump off. God my legs were sore. "You are safe now."

"Good luck, Hope Potter. The planets have been read wrong before now, even by centaurs. I hope now is one of those times." He turned and cantered off, back into the forest.

"Thank you." I half-yelled, hoping he had heard me, though he gave no indication if he did.

Ron looked at me, a hand plastered to his side, panting. "What the bloody hell happened?!"

CcCcCc

As it turns out Hermione had waited out in the common room for us to return, but eventually had given into the alluring sensation of sleep. Which sounded pretty good right about now.

I tapped her on the shoulder, collapsing into a nearby armchair. She woke with a start, mumbling something about charms.

Once she was awake, or sorta awake, I began to tell them both about what had happened in the forest.

"Snape wants the Stone for Voldemort… and Voldemort's waiting in the forest… and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich…"

"_Stop_ saying the name!" Ron whispered fiercely.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so… Bane was furious, he was talking about interfering with what the planets say was going to happen. They must say that Voldemort is coming back. Bane thinks Firenze should just let Voldemort kill Harry or whatever, I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"_Will you stop saying the name_?" Ron hissed.  
>"So all we gotta do is wait for Snape to steal the Stone. Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish Harry… me…us, whatever, finish us off." I continued hotly.<p>

Hermione's face was pale, but ever the voice of reason. "Hope, everyone says that Dumbledore was the only think You-Know-Who was afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch anybody. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

By the time we had finally finished talking, all of us tired and dark-eyed, the sun was starting to come up. Hermione and I said goodbye to Ron, heading up to the dormitory to finally welcome sleep.


	15. Waterside Fun

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. **

**Hello! Here's a little chapter I decided to add into the story, a little Hope/George action. Kinda, nothing really happens per say. Hope you like it, I'm still iffy on this one and its rather short... Anyway, 2-3 more chapters to be expected for year 1! **

**I'm giving a big shout-out to overlorded for helping me find out and sort through all the potential titles for this story since Hope Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone seemed a bit over-used. Anyway, thanks again! **

**Don't forget to review, follow and favorite! **

**Bye! :)**

That morning at breakfast Hermione had to drag me out of bed, stating that even though it was a weekend, I still had to get up at a decent hour. I stomped my feet alongside Hermione, who by the time we were outside the Great Hall was annoyed and looked like she was going to curse me. But in my defense I didn't sleep a wink last night, I was surprised she could. All night long the hooded man with silver blood dripping down his chin haunted my dreams.

I sat down beside Ron, watching as he stuffed hash browns into his mouth. I placed my elbows on the table, stifling a yawn. "Ron, buddy, slow down. I think you forgot to breathe."

Ron glared at me and swallowed his food. "I did remember to breathe, thank you."

I shook my head as he began to stuff more food into his mouth, which was far more fascinating then the glare Hermione was currently sending in my direction. "Hope," she said sternly. "I know you didn't get any sleep last night. Was it about- last night?"

I nodded. "I'm surprised you slept."

Hermione gave a shrug. "I woke up a few times."

"Yeah." I muttered, leaning across the table for a stack of pancakes. I quickly located the syrup and continued to dump half of it onto my plate, humming in agreement as I poured a content amount.

Hermione sniffed distastefully. "Hope, that's gross."

"Whatever you say 'Mione." I replied around a mouthful of food.

She took a bite of some type of fruit. Pineapple? Mango? Something. "You drowned your pancakes in syrup."

"Only way to eat them." A third year Puff yelled at us cheekily, continuing on his way to his own table.

"Thank you Cedric!" I yelled after him with a laugh.

He turned around and grinned. "No problem!"

I looked at Hermione triumphantly. "Ha, handsome man agreed with me."

Hermione rolled her eyes with a snort. "You're so weird."

"What?!" I protested. "He's cute, admit it."

"Fine, I admit he is... sorta cute." I huffed at her. "But come on, I'm done, lets go down to the library."

My eyes widened considerably. "Nooooo! We _just _got here!"

CcCcCc

I quickly signed my name at the end of my essay, setting it aside to dry. I fingered my hair, twirling it between my fingers in a bored daze.

Hermione cursed from across the table, taping her essay with her wand and making a blot of ink disappear. She snatched her Potions book and began to flip through its contents.

I flipped my History of Magic textbook open, flipping to the appropriate page and began to write. I heard a sigh of relief, a chair beside me was pulled out and Ron plopped down into it, throwing his bag atop the table. "I was looking for you two everywhere."

"As were we." A male voice said a beat after. Harry, Theodore and Daphne came into view and sat down.

"You two aren't at our normal table." Theodore observed.

"That chick over there took it." I jabbed my quill in the direction of the Ravenclaw that had 'taken' our table, books littered around her.

Theodore hummed, propping his legs up on the table only to set them back down on the ground, giving the growling Hermione an innocent look.

Daphne gently set her Transfiguration book on the table, glancing at the girl. Penelope Clearwater I think her name was. She cleared her throat. "So, about last night-"

"It was a bloody nightmare if that's what you'd like to hear." Ron muttered into his Potions book grumpily.

I nodded my consent, still browsing through the dull text for a specific date.

Harry stared at us. "Is that all you have to say or are you going to leave us all hanging?"

"I mean nothing really happened." I shrugged, ignoring the vexed huffs from Hermione and Ron. "The only _major_ thing was the creepy black hooded figure who slayed two unicorns and drank their blood and then tried to attach me only to have a centaur save me just in time and then tell me that he hopes the planets, especially the particularly bright Mars, were wrong and Voldy really wasn't coming back to get the Elixir of Life."

Ron grinned at me. "Who forgot to breathe this time?"

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever Ronnie."

He frowned at the nickname, but otherwise let it slide, preferring to looked at the bewildered and perplexed Slytherins.

Harry's nose scrunched up in confusion. "Wait, what?"

I simply nodded, waving a hand. "Like I said, nothing happened."

"Hope." Daphne looked at me expectedly.

I frowned, slowly closing my History of Magic textbook. I sucked in my lower lip and let it back out with a small pop, and began to explain that night. Finally, when I had finished, I looked at everyone silently, taking in their shocked expressions.

"Wait, so, You-Know-Who is trying to gain back power?" Theodore asked quietly, for once using an inside voice.

Us Gryffindors nodded solemnly.

Harry was frowning, his face scrunched up. "So the centaur, what's his name, Fir-Firen-"

"Firenze."

"Yes, him. So he told you about Voldemort. How do we know he's not lying."

The others looked at me, interested in the question themselves.

I shrugged. "If you would have seen that thing, you'd believe him too."

"What did he look like exactly?" Daphne asked, looking at me while she chewed the inside of her check.

I shrugged again. "I dunno, honestly. He had to crawl, so something was wrong with it and it was desperate enough to slay a unicorn and drink its blood. So he's practically cursed. I couldn't see his face or anything, due to the cloak and all."

"Drinking the blood to stay alive, even for a few days, like Firenze said, would be the only logical reason for actually drinking the blood. Whoever it is isn't afraid of being cursed, with the Elixir of Life, he would be guaranteed immortality." Hermione spoke up. "This person really has nothing to lose and everything to gain, especially Voldemort. He's been waiting for his chance, and here it would be. But, with Dumbledore here, he can't do anything personally, add his poor health and that he would need to enlist someone to help him."

"Snape." Ron clarified. "Dumbledore trusts Snape, so it's the perfect cover, huh?"

I tilted my head, contemplating. "Unless he's on Dumbledore's side and he pretending to help Voldy."

Ron's eyebrows furrowed. "I mean I guess... but Snape's all dark and evil... and greasy."

I lifted a shoulder up and down, pressing my fist into my cheek. "Maybe its all a front?"

During Ron and I's conversation, however, Hermione and the Slytherins had gone onto more pressing matters. Voldemort.

"But what does this all mean?" Daphne's voice was slightly put out. "How is Snape even going to get the stone with Dumbledore here?"

Hermione glanced at us, frowning. "If Dumbledore trusts Snape then that gets Dumbledore out of the way, but if You-Know-Who ("Voldemort.")- hush Hope- gets the Stone, then he'll be coming back...for good."

"Well then we've got to stop him." Harry said determinedly.

"But how? We're only first years least you forget." Daphne looked at the black-haired boy.

Harry shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know... maybe we _should_ tell Dumbledore... Wait, before you start interrupting me, maybe Dumbledore would listen to us."

"Doubt it." I sang, finally tuning in to their conversation completely.

Harry glared at me. "Yeah? How so?"

I returned the glare, emerald meeting emerald. "Well, for one, there's something you can't trust about the man, sure, he was a Gryffindor, but he's got some prominent Slytherin qualities-"

"So what are you saying?" He shot back. "That all Slytherins are bad?"

I huffed. "'Course not! If I thought all Slytherins were destined to be bad I wouldn't be hanging out with you guys now would I?! Besides, I'm allowed to be iffy around Dumbledore, there's just something fishy about that man. I swear, he's off and that damned twinkle in his eyes doesn't help."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "I'm confused, what's your thing with Dumbledore?"

I made a face. "Don't call it a thing, that makes it sound inappropriate. But I just don't like him, I've never been on board on telling Dumbledore about this and I'm still standing by that, also, we do still have no way as to how we would tell him we know everything. We'd get Hagrid into trouble too." I propped myself up on my elbows.

"Fine..." Harry leant back against his chair and I narrowed my eyes at him. "What?"

"Nothing." I muttered, still evaluating his posture and our conversation. Maybe it was the whole 'All Slytherins are evil' thing, I mean, not all Slytherins are bad, just like not all Gryffindors are good, not all Ravenclaws were smart and not all Hufflepuffs were loyal. It was just the way things were.

CcCcCc

The weather had turned away from the cold and was now blistering hot. The exams had just finished and we all sat beneath the shade of a large tree outside. Hermione smiled happily. "That was far easier than I thought it would be. I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Daphne hummed, leaning against the tree's trunk and basking in the sunlight. "It was rather easy, I was surprised."

I traded a glance with Ron.

The exams weren't hard, but they weren't easy either. In Charms we had to make a pineapple tap-dance across the table, in Transfiguration we had to transform a mouse into a snuffbox, points added for its prettiness and points docked if it still had whiskers. Snape breathed down out necks as we tried to make a Forgetfulness potion and Binns had us answer multiple questions about various witches and wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons. It was completely nerve-racking, and the blistering weather did nothing to damped the mood.

I glanced up, smiling when I noticed the twins and Lee who were tickling the giant squid, who of which was basking in the shallow end of the lake. George, at least I'm pretty sure it was George, they look really alike all the way over there, waved at me and I couldn't help but wave back. I shifted a little bit away from Ron, pushing his elbow out of the way as he lied down beneath the tree's shadow. I watched Harry in concern as he rubbed his forehead with a look of pain etched upon his face.

"Hey, you ok Harry?" I tapped his arm to get his attention.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, thanks Hope." He smiled at me, holding a hand up above his head in an effort to shield the sun from blinding him.

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Is it your scar?" He blinked at me. "What? Daphne told me."

Harry glared at the girl in question, but sighed in defeat. "I just wish I knew what it meant! My scar keeps hurting- its happened before, but never as often as this."

I nodded. "Why don't you go see Madam Pomfrey?"

"I'm not ill," he insisted. "I think its a warning... it means danger is coming."

"Oh..." I subconsciously rubbed my wrist. "well-"

"Hey Hope!" A voice shouted, cutting me off.

I looked up and smiled. "Oh, hello George."

Hermione and Daphne both peeled open an eye, trading matching smiles before they closed their eyes again.

George grinned down at me, extending a hand. "Come on Red."

I grasped his hand and pulled myself up, adjusting my clothes. "Where we goin'?"

"To the lake." George tugged on my arm playfully. "Where else?"

I shrugged aimlessly. "I dunno..."

Hermione waved me away lazily when I glanced back at her. I cracked a smile, following closely behind George as he dragged me towards the lake.

Fred looked up. "Glad to see George finally manned up and brought you over here."

I laughed softly, peeking a glance at George before looking back towards Fred. "Ah, well, it was bound to happen sometime."

"I guess." Fred allowed.

"Besides, I see you haven't invited Angelina over, so you've got no room to talk." I grinned cheekily at Fred, winking at the boy as his cheeks tinged pink.

Lee snickered, watching us in amusement, slapping the giant squid's tentacle away as he tried to snag the dark-haired boy's arm. The giant squid slapped the water childishly, spraying us all with water. I squealed, ducking behind George as the squid raised his tentacle to shower us in another wave of murky, lake water. George laughed, spinning around sharply so the water wouldn't hit his face, his nose inches away from mine. We stared at each other with wide eyes as we were doused in water, I sucked in a sharp breath, but George- cheeks tinged pink- quickly turned away.

I coughed nervously, feeling a massive blush make an appearance, eyes owlishly wide. Fred suddenly snorted, taking a large step into the lake towards the giant squid. He shook his foot about as he walked, shaking mud from it and casting a hand into the water. He snatched an arm from the water, pulling Lee up from the water and patting his back harshly as Lee coughed up water. George made a noise in the back of his throat, stepping into the water and dishing around silently in search of Lee's wand.

Fred looked up at me. "Come on, Hope. Help us out."

With a well placed step into the lake I slowly made it towards the three, my feet sinking and squishing awkwardly in the mud. Fred grinned at me mischievously. "Its a shame you're the only one dry, huh, Hope?"

My head snapped up in confusion and I frowned. "Wait, wha-"

CcCcCc

"When do you think they'll realize they like each other?" Daphne asked, watching as George turned inwards towards Hope, they two of them getting soaked by a spray of water.

"What do you mean?" Theodore finally spoke, lifting his hand that had been lying limply atop his eyes.

Daphne raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with the boys attentive skills. "Hope and George. They obviously like each other."

Harry frowned. "How can you tell?"

Hermione lifted herself up, elbows planted into the grass to help keep her up. "Well they were just an inch apart and now they're blushing like mad."

The three boys looked over and watched as Hope blushed a furious shade of red, George spinning around to help his fallen friend in a vain attempt to hide his own blush. Ron tilted his head. "Huh..."

"You guys seriously didn't notice?" Hermione inquired after a moment, a smile appearing on her face as Hope instinctively braced herself for impact, squealing loudly as Fred tackled her.

"Obviously not." Theodore said as if it were common sense and she should have known better.

Harry considered the new information quietly, pursing his lips as he mused. "But how does that mean they like each other?"

Theodore glanced up to look at the girls briefly, crinkling his forehead.

Daphne and Hermione traded a look and they both rolled their eyes. "Boys."


	16. It's Going Down Tonight

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. **

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I walked back over towards the tree, partially grateful for the blistering heat that helped dry my soaked clothes. Stupid Fred... I stood before Hermione, water dripping onto her shoes, causing her to open her eyes. She grinned. "Hi Hope, have fun?"

I blushed. "Yeah... so what have you guys been doing in my absence?"

"Talking about you and George." Daphne informed me, sitting up to stretch.

"What?" I sat down in-between the two. "Why?"

Daphne shrugged. "We had nothing else to do besides just sit here."

"Besides, you two are so cute together." Hermione squealed happily.

I rolled my eyes. "Uh-huh. Thanks Mione, but I know were you're going with this. The both of you. We're just friends."

"You may think that, but how much do you wanna bet he wants to be more than _just friends_?" Daphne smirked.

I pursed my lips. "I highly doubt that."

"Doubt what you want." Hermione and Daphne quipped.

Ron shifted suddenly, grabbing a hold of my ankle. "What the- oh, hey Hope. When did you get back?"

I snorted down at him, watching as he rubbed his eyes. "Just now. Have a nice nap?"

Ron grinned at me. "Why yes I did."

"Good." I laughed.

"Have fun with my brothers?" His eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

I slapped at his arm. "What is wrong with you all? Nothing is going on between us."

"Uh-huh...sure. I know my brothers, Hope." Ron titled his head up to look at us, repositioning his foot and accidently kicking Harry in the side.

"Oi!"

"Oops, sorry Harry."

"It's fine." Harry rolled over to look at us all, a hand on his side. "Whatcha talking about?"

I groaned, letting my head fall forwards and tap against my chest.

Hermione patted my shoulder in mock sympathy. "Hope's love life."

Harry's eyes shot to me, an eyebrow slowly lifting up. "You're love life?"

"I don't have a love life." I cried at them, pouting.

"Course not, not yet anyway." Daphne twirled a blonde strand.

"Besides, you're not allowed to date till you're... old." Hermione finished lamely.

"How old?"

"At least sixteen."

"No!" I protested immediately. "I would only have two years of Hogwarts left! That's cruel..."

Daphne snorted. "I'm lucky if I'll be able to date at sixteen!"

Harry and Ron traded amused looks.

"So, girls... what else are we doing today?" I asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Nothing I hope!" Theodore yelled, startling us, sitting up to watch us with large brown eyes.

"That's boring." I noted.

"Then what do you think we should do?" Theodore leaned forward at looked at me expectedly.

I shrugged. "We could visit Hagrid?"

Hermione's eyes tracked an owl that was flying across the court yard. "Is he even in?"

"Hey, there's Snape." Harry's face wrinkled in distaste.

All our eyes snapped towards the man, strolling across the court yard, his cloak flowing out behind him.

"He's still limping." I acclaimed.

"Way ta go Fluffy!" Theodore crooned, throwing his hands into the air and flopping down into the grass.

Ron snickered. "Wish the thing would of taken his leg off."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Right!? If only we could tell Dumbledore about him."

I grabbed the nearest object I could find and through it at him. I'm pretty sure it was Theodore's smelly old shoe.

"While on that note, Hagrid would never tell Snape how to get past Fluffy, he would never betray Dumbledore." Daphne reminded us.

"Not intentionally anyway." Ron blinked at us, focusing on me when I frowned deeply. "What?"

I jumped up suddenly, nearly tripping over Theodore.

"Where are you going?" Daphne yelled after me, jumping up and looking at me oddly.

Theodore quickly slipped on his shoes. "What the heck?!"

"I've just thought of something." I explained, walking backwards to look at them. "We've got to go and see Hagrid. Now."

"Why?" Hermione panted, attempting to catch up.

"Don't you think its a bit odd..." I trailed off, collecting my thoughts.

"What?" Harry asked impatiently.

"That- that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon and a stranger turns up and, look at this, has a dragon egg. How many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? It against wizard law, no? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Ugh, why didn't I see it before!?"

"_What _are you talking about, Hope?" Ron sprinted behind me.

Hagrid was sitting outside his hut door, sleeves and pant legs rolled up, shelling peas. "Hullo, finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes!" Theodore said eagerly, but I cut him off.

"Unfortunately not right now, Hagrid. Actually, I've got something to ask you. You know the day you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," Hagrid said casually. "he wouldn' take off his cloak."

Hagrid raised his eyebrows as he looked at him, stunned. "It's not that unusual, yeh got a lot 'o funny folk in the Hog's Head- that's ones o' the pubs down the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk about, Hagird? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" Hermione inquired.

"Mighta come up... Yeah, he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after... so I told him, an' I said what I'd always wanted was a dragon a' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, he said that he had a dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn't want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" I struggled to keep my voice calm, slowly twisting a strand of hair around my finger.

"Well- yeah- how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit' o music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"

We all traded horrified looks, all of us had gone a pale white.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey- where're yeh goin'?"

"Sorry, Hagrid!" Ron yelled behind us as we sprinted towards the castle.

We finally halted before the entrance hall, panting.

"We've _got_ to go to Dumbledore, now! Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak- it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

"Whoa! Wait, Harry!" I yelled louder, causing him to stop in his search of Dumbledore's office, as if there would be some sign or something telling us where to go. "Are you sure this is the best course of action!?"

Everyone stopped to look at me. I huffed. "What?!"

"Hope, they are going to go after the Stone _soon_." Daphne explained as if talking to a small child.

My eyes narrowed dangerously. Perhaps she noticed my deadly expression or not, Hermione quickly interjected. "I think we should tell him, Hope."

I rolled me eyes and gave a single nod. "Oh, alright. But if he yells, punishes, expels or anything of the like, I will be looking for you five."

"Great." Was Ron's reply. He then turned to march down a corridor, but paused. "So... does anyone know where his office is?"

We all looked around, maybe for a familiar face of someone who would know where his office was. To no such luck, everyone else was basking in the sunlight outside. Everyone turned to me. I gave them all a blank look. "Even if I've gotten in detention _a few times_ doesn't mean I've been to his office. Yet."

Now, remember how I said everyone was outside? Well... I lied. Not everyone.

"What are you all doing inside?"

We all spun around, coming face-to-face with Professor McGonagall, who was carrying a large stack of books.

"We want to see Headmaster Dumbledore." Theodore spoke up.

"See Headmaster Dumbledore? Why?" Her eyes narrowed, I guess people normally didn't want to see the Headmaster. I'm guessing. I mean, was this really to much to ask?

"It's sort of secret." Harry told her lamely. Well, it was the truth.

McGonagall's nostrils flared. "Headmaster Dumbledore left ten minutes ago. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's _gone? __Now_?" Ron asked frantically.

"Headmaster Dumbledore is a great wizard, Wealsey, he has many demands on his time-"

"But this is important!"

"Something you have to say is more important that the Ministry of Magic, Nott?"

"Ye-" He began but was promptly shut up when Daphne slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Look," Harry began and I mentally facepalmed. So much for secrecy. "Professor, its about the Sorcerer's Stone-"

Whatever she had been expecting us to say, that had to have been at the very bottom of the list. The stack of books tumbled out of her arm and she made no attempt to pick them back up.

"How do you know-?"

"Professor- I think- we know- that Sn-" I smacked Harry in the arm. "that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. We've got to talk to the Headmaster."

She eyed us all with an air of suspicion. "Headmaster Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor-"

"Nott, I know what I'm talking about. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine." She bent down to pick up her books.

"It's tonight." I said as soon as she was out of earshot.

Harry nodded frantically. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. I bet he sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore shows up."

"But what can we-" Ron stopped and looked at me oddly after I gave out a small squeak. "What?"

"Good afternoon."

Snape. Snape was standing right before us.

You could literally hear all of us gulp.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this." He gave us a weird, twisted smile.

"We were-" Daphne faltered.

"You want to be more careful. Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Hermione, Ron and I all flushed. We all turned to walk back outside when Snape called back to us. "Be warned, any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are all expelled. Good day to you."

We all gulped again and scampered out the door and into the courtyard. Once on the stone steps did Harry stop. "Right, here's what we got to do-"

"Who made you in charge?" I questioned jokingly.

Harry glared at me. "Would you like to tell us what to do, Hope?"

I scoffed and waved my hand. "No, continue."

"Anyway, one of us has got to keep an eye on Snape, wait outside the staffroom and follow him if he leaves. Hermione, Daphne, which one of you want to do it?"

"Why us?" Daphne asked with a tone of irritation.

"'Cause, you can be pretending to be waiting for... Professor Flitwick?" Ron suggested.

"Yeah!" I grinned and pitched my voice slightly. "Oh Professor, I'm so worried. I think I got question fourteen _b_ wrong..."

Theodore snorted when both girls turned to glare at me.

"Oh shut up." Hermione told me, volunteering to go watch for Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-door corridor." Harry told Theodore and Ron.

"And us?" I questioned.

"You could think of something." He told me with an evil grin, running of with the two towards the third-floor corridor.

Daphne turned to look at me and I shrugged. "I dunno..."

We both shrugged, glanced around before we both sat down upon the cold steps. We both crossed our legs and propped our head up on our hands.

Only a few minutes or so later did we hear running and Theodore, Harry and Ron were soon sitting down beside us, panting.

I raised an eyebrow. "Hi."

"What happened?" Daphne asked, eyeing their flushed skin.

"Did Fluffy try and eat you?" I asked.

"No," Ron panted. "but we ran into McGonagall."

Theodore nodded. "She was pissed."

"Threatened to take fifty house points each is she heard of us going near that door again." Harry finished.

I plucked up a piece of grass and twirled it around my fingers, glancing up when more footsteps approach. Hermione gasped. "I'm sorry! Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting of Flitwick, and Snape went to go get him. I've only gotten away, I don't know where he went."

"Welp, that's it then isn't it?" I questioned, rubbing Hermione's back as she attempted to catch her breath.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get the Stone first." Harry announced.

I pouted at him while everyone else looked at him as if he had grown another head. "Awe, Harry, I was gonna say that."

Harry couldn't stop the grin from appearing on his face and the two-headed-bizarre look was then transmitted onto me. "Wha?"

"You two can't be serious?"

"You're mad!"

"You can't!"

"After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry screamed, cutting everyone off. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets ahold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Slytherin or Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, I'll have to go back to my house and wait for him to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I could have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trap door and nothing you say or do can stop me! Voldemort destroyed my family, remember?"

I whistled loudly. "You're right..."

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak, it's just lucky I got it back." Harry told us pointedly.

"But how will _all six_ of us fit under that?" Ron asked, frowning.

Harry paused, startled. "All- all six of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" Daphne flicked Harry's temple.

I stretched out my legs, kicking Ron's thigh with my toe. He slapped at my foot lightly. "Don't be so stupid."

"Of course not." Hermione said briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us?"

Daphne nodded thoughtfully. "I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, we'll be expelled for sure." Theodore reminded us all.

"Not if I can help it. Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that." Hermione shrugged once we all looked at her.

I grinned and clapped her on the back. "Right on Mione!"

"B-but, a hundred and twelve! HOW?" Ron protested with his mouth hanging open.

I closed his mouth with a snap. "Close your mouth Ronnie, you'll catch flies."

Harry just sat there, looking at all of us with wide eyes, slowly shaking his head in disbelief.

Daphne and Theodore looked at him and then at each other, grinning.


	17. Last Moment to Turn Back

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. **

**Hey there! So sorry for the LOOOOOONG wait... Please, please, please, DON'T kill me for what I'm about to do... Kay? I swear, I'm nearly done with the next chapter! I swear! *runs and hides underneath my bed* Also, Overlordred dear, please don't kill me... I know how you got last time when I kept stalling the actually 'nabbing of the Stone'. **

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Everything seemed to have either gotten louder or everything seemed to have become more defined. It was suddenly easier to absorb myself in the rather boring task of counting the number of cracks in the dormitory ceiling. Usually a task I granted on sleepless nights.

Tonight was huge, as were the snores emitting from my slumbering dorm mates. Lavender mumbled absentmindedly in her sleep. Parvati shifted underneath her covers constantly, sticking one foot out at an awkward angle. Fay was- well, Fay. She was as silent and nonexistent as she was when she was awake. It felt like the millionth time that night that I wished that sleep would also lure me into a peaceful slumber, but I was who I was and nothing ever came easily or willingly.

The dormitory was dark, an eerie glow splashing against the dark walls and making them glow softly. The moon would play hide-and-seek with the surrounding clouds, dipping in and out of the foggy puff effortlessly. I turned my head silently towards the small candle flame that lapped at the candle core, swaying sighting as Hermione flipped through yet another book. Her huff of irritation echoed throughout the room, she had yet to find anything that might be useful for the journey ahead and she seemed to be reaching the end of her tether.

I popped my lips together repeatedly, my hair fanning out around me as I furrowed my head into my pillow. I breathed deeply through my nose, gazing at the clock that sat on my nightstand. It was getting late, almost time to stop Snape from stealing the Stone. Almost time to drag myself out of my cozy bed and down the steps into uncharted and dangerous territory. Yippie.

There was a rather large crash coming down from the common room, jolting Hermione and I into a sitting position. I quickly clambered out of my bed, nearly tripping as I got tangled up in the sheets and poked my head out the girls' dormitory door, Hermione tiptoeing around my shoulder. I stifled a giggle by placing a hand over my mouth, gently slipping down the stairwell. I slowly walked towards the large object that must have fallen over, somewhere near the boys' dormitory staircase. I blinked down at the predicament I found my dear friend in. "Hello..."

"It's not funny." Ron muttered nearly immediately around a groan.

"Course not." I agreed offhandedly, waving my hand around in a vague manner.

Hermione then appeared behind us, the side of her lips quirking into a smirk. "Hello Ronald."

I guess Ron's little trek down the stairs in pitch darkness didn't go to well. Ending with the freckled teen bumping into a nearby table and tripping over its surface, creating that loud crash. It was quite a sight to see the boy tangled up in the table's wooden legs, elevating his arms and legs oddly.

I cracked a smile, struggling to keep my amusement at bay. If only for his sake. "You need help?"

Ron glanced around at his limbs, moving them around before looking back at me helplessly. "Maybe..."

I slanted my brow slightly, gazing down at the redhead. I pursed my lips and grabbed ahold of the man's arm, hauling him up. Hermione helped steady the boy and we both watched with barley hidden amusement as he teetered on his feet. After a moment he let out a breath, arms still outstretched to help with his balance. "I _think_ I'm good."

I nodded my head self-importantly. "That's good."

Hermione's eyes flickered between the two of us and flicked out her wand, twirling it and muttering a spell that swiftly fastened the table together. It looked as if nothing had even happened.

"Blimey Hermione." Ron said as he dutifully kicked the table. When it didn't tumble to ground in shambles he shook his head in amazement. "You're getting good at those."

I nodded my head in agreement as Hermione looked at Ron in surprise. "Oh, thank you Ronald."

Ron nodded his head, waving her off in a boyish manner.

"What are you doing?" A voice asked from halfway up the boys' staircase, his young voice vibrating throughout the silent room. We all froze like deer caught in the headlights.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing." I told him nervously, focusing on his large toad Trevor, who was clutched fiercely in the boy's hands.

"You're going out again." He accused, looking from each guilty face to the next.

"No, no, no," Hermione shook her head anxiously. "No, we aren't. Why don't you go back to bed, Neville?"

I quickly looked back at the large grandfather clock that was stationed in the middle of the common room. We were running out of time.

"You can't go out, you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble." Neville told us tensely.

"You don't understand, Neville. It's important."

"I won't let you do it. I'll- I'll fight you!" Neville steeled his face and held his hands up in a defensive posture.

"Neville, get away from that hole and don't be an idiot-" Ron exploded hotly. What a redhead. Wait- I've got no room to talk.

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville cried drearily.

We'd be lucky if no one heard us with all this screaming going on right now.

"I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

Damn, we did say that didn't we…

"Yes, but not to us." Ron told the boy in pure exasperation, fitting an eye roll into the notion and everything. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

"Go on then, try and hit me!" Neville cried, raising his fists when Ron advanced slowly. "I'm ready."

Hermione and I traded a look.

"Mione." I whined desperately.

She sighed deliberately, taking a step forward. "Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this."

Neville only had a few seconds time to shoot the brunette a confused look.

"Petrificus Totalus!" She cried, pointing her wand at Neville.

Neville's arms immediately snapped to his sides, his legs springing together. His whole body went rigid, swaying as he stood and then fell over, stiff as a board. Hermione ran over to him to turn him over, gazing at his horror struck eyes.

"What have you done to him?" I whispered, inching closer.

"It's the full Body-Bind." Hermione shook her head miserably. "Oh Neville, I'm so sorry!"

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain."

"You'll understand later, Neville." Ron told the boy, stepping over him.

"We all set?" He asked after a tense moment of silence.

"No." I said quickly, watching as Hermione nodded.

They both sent me a perplexed look as I swiftly dashed into my dormitory and stealthily snatched something out of my trunk. I met them at the portrait hole a moment later.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "What did you get?"

I held up the wooden flute Hagrid had given me for Christmas and shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I don't plan on singing Fluffy to sleep."

Ron's eyebrows stayed up in his hairline, but an impressed look flashed across his face. "Smart."

Hermione rolled her brown doe eyes at our expense. "Come on, we've got to go met the others."

"Where are we meeting them again?" I questioned as we pushed the portrait open, stepping out into the dimly lit corridor.

"Now, what are you three doing up at a time like this?" The Fat Lady demanded hotly.

Ron shot her an annoyed look. So, when none of us stepped up to offer any plausible excuse the Fat Lady simply snorted, vanishing from her own painting as she went off to go visit someone else. Muttering something like 'not my fault if they get caught'.

Hermione sniffed. "Well, come on then."

I spun around on my heel, taking one step forward before smacking into- well, actually nothing, and fell back to land on my bum. I cursed, rubbing at my back as I glanced up. "What the heck?!"

There was a shimmer before us and suddenly two heads were popping out of nowhere. It would look quite odd I assure you if anyone were to turn around the corner. Seeing two disembodied heads flying around in the air. Breathing and blinking.

Both of the heads snickered.

Ron's eyes widening comically, a rush of breath leaving his lungs in one long gush. "Bloody hell."

Hermione tsked with pursed lips, hands on her hips. "Honestly, Ronald."

"What?" He huffed, turning to look at her in annoyance. "What did you expect me to do when two heads pop out of nowhere."

"Well," Hermione stressed the word. "If either of you would have been listening, you would have realized this was where we were meeting."

My eyes bounced between the two, the whole motion feeling like watching a tennis match. Upon realization that no one was going to help me up, I slowly clambered to my feet, wiping any dirt or dust from my skirt. I rolled my head around, popping the bone a few times. "Alright you lot, we're wasting time."

"She's right." Daphne agreed, pulling the Cloak off of her shoulders.

I inclining my head slightly in her direction, almost like a silent 'thank you'. She smiled softly, inclining her head back. My eyes traveled and locked onto Harry's own green ones. My brow furrowed when I went to look to his left. "Where's Theodore?"

"Oh, he got detention during Charms." Daphne made a face, one that was stuck in-between sympathy and irritation.

Harry glanced around us as he spoke. "He did say though that he was going to try and get out of detention early and meet us at the third corridor."

"Well he better get out soon." Hermione glanced down at her watch.

My head tilted to the side. When did she get a watch?

Harry nodded, pushing his glasses further up on his nose when they slipped slightly. "_We_ should get going actually, before someone catches us."

I narrowed my eyes at the Invisibility Cloak and bit the inside of my cheek. "So... can you even fit five people under that?"

"I dunno, maybe. We can fit three under it pretty snuggly." Harry commented with a shrug, also glancing down at the silvery fabric.

"If not, we can always fit three under the Cloak and have the three lead and stop the other two if there happens to be anyone up ahead." Hermione suggested meekly.

"What if someone comes up from behind?"

"Do you have a better idea? Hmm? I didn't think so."

In the end, not all of us could fit underneath the Cloak without someone's feet showing or without someone tripping over one another. In a way I was slightly happy Theodore wasn't here, it would have complicated the whole cloak thing anyway and with there being three girls and only two boys, it was fairly easy to override the boys on the matter. Thought it would benefit us if he could meet us later on...

Both Harry and Ron glared daggers at us as we slipped the Cloak over our heads.

In hindsight, leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't leave us in the best mindset. It felt like karma was going to come back around and bite us hard in the rears. Every damn shadow looked like Filch. Every danged breath of wind sounded just like Peeves. Our nerves were certainly frayed by the time we had neared the third floor.

We hadn't seen anyone or ran into any close calls along the way up until we reached the staircase to the third floor. Daphne peeked her head around the corner and froze. There was Peeves, bobbing around as he loosened the carpet so people would trip.

"Who's there?" He called back suddenly and we all made a mad dash to stuff Harry and Ron beneath the Cloak, hoping and praying Peeves wouldn't notice a peeking foot.

It got hot under the Cloak, all of us packed and stuffed together like a pack of nasty sardines. I winced when someone stomped on my foot.

"Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?" Peeves narrowed his eyes. "Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

We all traded a nervous look.

"Peeves." A hoarse whisper filled the corridor, causing all of us- even Peeves- to jump. "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir," Peeves said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake- I didn't see you- of course I didn't, you're invisible. Forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

Harry and I traded confused frowns.

"I have business here, Peeves," The voice continued to croak. "Stay away from this play tonight."

"That doesn't sound like the Bloody Baron." Daphne whispered to us.

We all immediately shushed her.

"I will, sir, I most certainly will. Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." Peeves hurriedly scooted off.

"Thought you would need some help." A voice echoed as soon as Peeves was out of earshot.

We all jumped again, another foot in the air, Hermione emitting a small squeak as Harry accidently smashed into her foot.

Daphne snatched the Cloak off of us all, shaking her head in disbelief. "Theo?"

"Sorry." Harry muttered to the brunette.

The dark-haired Slytherin emerged from the shadows with an overly cocky grin taking up his face. "Hey."

Ron sniggered. "Impressive Nott, impressive."

"Thanks Weasley." Theodore smirked.

I rolled my eyes and watched Harry as he began to bundle up the Cloak and stuff it into his pocket. "I'll admit it, I'm with Ron. That was pretty brilliant."

Harry grinned and clapped the boy on the back. "That was awesome! How'd you get away from Flitwick?

"I've got my ways, Potter."

"You finished early didn't you?" Daphne questioned flatly.

Theodore looked at the blonde sheepishly. "Maybe..."

"Thought so." She said proudly.

After a moment Daphne grinned smugly. "That didn't sound _anything_ like the Bloody Baron though..."

"Did too!"

"Nope!"

I looked up and spun around, catching Hermione as she walked stealthily up the stairs. Clearly fed up with all the small talk. I smirked and dashed towards after her, waving animatedly when she turned back to look at me. We both edged closer and paused when we found the door slightly ajar.

"Guess you don't have to sing or play that flute, Hope." Hermione whispered to me.

"Oi, guys." I whisper-yelled. "Hurry up, Snape's already gotten past Fluffy."

The other four's heads snapped up to look at us, surprise coloring their features.

"Last moment to turn back." Harry muttered as he rested a hand on the doorknob.

"Don't be stupid."

"We're coming."

"Thought you knew that, idiot."

Harry gently pushed the door open, creaking slightly and revealing the large three-headed dog dubbed 'Fluffy'. The dog's low rumbling filled our ears, their massive noses twitching in their sleep.

"Is- is that a harp?" Daphne muttered lowly, motioning towards the golden instrument that was placed at the dog's feet.

"Looks like." Ron agreed, stepping forwards lightly, glancing up to see if the dog had moved. "Snape must have left it here. They must wake up the moment it stops playing."

I gulped, taking a few tentative steps towards the trapdoor. I made a face as the dog's smelly, hot breath washed over me.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open." I mused aloud.

"Want to go first, Daph?" Theodore asked cheekily.

"No, I don't!"

"Oh, alright."

Ron suddenly appeared by my side, bending down and pulling the trapdoor open. I carefully grabbed at his elbow as he bent forward to peer into the darkness.

"What can you see?" Harry asked anxiously by Hermione's side.

"Nothin', just blackness. I don't see no way of climbing down either, we'll have to drop."

"Who wants to go first?" Daphne asked, the full impact of what we were about to do crashing down on us with the weight of a freight train.

"I will." I spoke before my mind could fully process the full intent of what I was just about to say.

"Are you sure?" Harry looked at me with a deep look of concern.

I shrugged my shoulders, feeling my stomach churn. "Um, yeah, why not... But, hey, if anything happens to me, don't follow."

"Well no duh." Theodore muttered, definitely earning that punch Daphne gave him.

"Go straight to the owlery and as much as I hate to say this- get Hedwig or something to get Dumbledore, 'kay?"

After a moment of silence it was Daphne that replied, albeit nervously. "Right..."

"Be careful." Hermione told me, wiggling her fingers around agitatedly.

I slowly walked to the side of the trapdoor and crouched down. "See you in a minute, I hope..."

"Don't say that!"

I gave a quiet chuckle and let go of the floor, jumping down.

Darkness immediately consumed me. Cold, damp air rushing up at me as I fell down, down, down.


	18. Here We Come

**Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling. **

**Hiya people of Earth! Unless you're an alien... Hiya person/thing of _... *sighs* Hi...**

**It was just brought to my attention the fact that there were seven bottles. You know, the magic number _seven_. I hadn't noticed that before, but of course when I first read this I didn't know the magical qualities of the mere number. I do hope this settles your needs on the whole 'when is this story going to stop being like the book'. You are welcome. **

**But seriously, chapter the VERY NEXT DAY?! _BROWNIE POINTS!_ **

**Don't forget to review, follow and favorite! **

**Bye! :D **

FLUMP!

I smacked into something rather soft. I pushed the tangled red mess that was my hair out of my face, feeling around. I swear it felt like some sort of plant.

"It's okay!" I looked up towards the small window of light, so high up that the light didn't even reach wherever I currently was. "It's a soft landing! You can jump!"

Ron jumped down and landed with a puff right beside me a mere second later. I didn't know if he saw it, but in that moment I could feel the complete trust he gave me, and it was with that in mind that I beamed in the general direction he would be sitting.

"What _is _this stuff?" He asked, groping around and latching onto my arm.

"I dunno, suppose it's here to break the fall." I poked the thick plant dully. "Some plant of some sort. You all coming?!"

Hermione followed next, closely followed by Harry and then Theodore and Daphne. They all landed with muffled thumps near Ron and I, squishing into the plant beneath us.

"We must be miles under the school." Hermione said in awe as she attempted to look around.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really." Theodore said after a moment, patting the plant happily.

"_Lucky_!" Daphne shrieked suddenly. "L-look at us!"

We all looked down and noticed that we were all indeed stuck in the plant. Like, literally. The plant's creepers had snuck themselves around us without our knowing, binding us together tightly. The more we fought against the plant, the faster and tighter the plant would wound itself around us.

"Stop moving!" I gasped. "I know what this is- its Devil's Snare!"

"Fitting name." Ron grunted, leaning away from the plant as it tried to wrap itself around his neck.

"I'm sooo glad you know what its called." Theodore snarled. "That's a great help!"

"Shut up!" I screeched at them all. "I'm trying to remember how to kill it."

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe! Harry stated, out of breath as he wrestled with the plant.

"Devil's Snare... Devil's Snare." Hermione sang by my feet. "Ugh! What did Professor Sprout say?"

"It likes the dark and the damp!" Daphne cried out.

"Great, so light a fire!"

"Yes, but, there's no wood." Daphne muttered frantically as a tendril of plant wrapped itself around her mouth.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD!" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

If Daphne could have replied, she would have- something witty and sarcastic, but the plant efficiently gagged her.

Hermione wiggled around a bit, fighting to get her wand out of her pocket. "I've got it!"

Blue fire shot out of her wand, much like the one she had cast at Snape to set his robes on fire during the Quidditch match. Immediately the plant cringed away from the light and warmth, releasing its prey. The plant wiggled and flailed, unraveling our bodies and allowing us to pull ourselves free.

"Lucky you girls pay attention in Herbology." Harry panted, wiping off his face.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "lucky Hermione doesn't lose her head in a crisis- 'there's no wood', honestly."

Daphne growled at the boy, grey eyes ablaze.

Ron made a whimpering noise and jumped behind me. I snorted.

"This way." Harry spoke up, catching our attention and pointing down a stone passageway. Which was really the only way forward.

"Can you hear something?" Hermione asked as we began to walk down the dark corridor.

"The water tricking down the walls?" Daphne questioned, eyeing the damp stone walls with distaste.

"No..." Hermione trailed off.

A soft rusting could be heard up ahead, accompanied by the sound of clinking.

"Think its a ghost?" Ron pondered.

"I don't know." Hermione admitted.

"Sounds like wings to me." Harry narrowed his eyes as a light appeared ahead of us.

As we reached the end of the passageway we were met with a brilliantly lit chamber, the arching ceiling towering above us. Something was fluttering around the room, glittering as they tumbled about. Across the chamber was a large wooden door.

"You think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" Theodore inquired.

"Probably," I paused. "They don't look very vicious, whatever they are. I suppose if they all swoop down at once though..."

"I'll run." Harry offered, running across the chamber before any of us could object.

Harry paused at the other side of the chamber, panting, leaning against the door as he looked up at the birds in confusion. The birds hadn't attached him and had went on with their own little business. Harry tugged at the door, but of course it was locked.

"That was anticlimactic." I deadpanned as we all crossed the room at a much slower pace.

"Alohomora." Hermione whisked her wand out, but nothing happened, she didn't look too depressed though. "I hadn't expected that to work."

"Now what?" Ron frowned.

"Those birds..." Daphne glanced up at the birds. "They can't just be here for decorations."

"They aren't birds!" Harry announced suddenly. "They're _keys_! Winged keys, look. So that must mean... yes, broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are _hundreds_ of them!"

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one- probably silver, like the handle." Ron advised as he inspected the lock with a trained eye.

I watched the gangly teen, impressed.

We all seized a broomstick- well, they boys and I did- and kicked off into the cloud of keys. The keys dipped and darted, the whole process nearly impossible. They were to fast. Boy was this irritatingly exhausting.

"That one!" Harry cried out not ten minutes later. Being a seeker and the youngest one in a century to boot, Harry easily spotted the correct key.

The silver key's wing was bent, as if it had already been caught and stuffed into the keyhole.

"That big one with the bright blue wings! The one with the crippled wing!"

The key easily dodged all of our, slightly lame, attempts to catch it, irritating and annoying the heck out of each of us rather quickly.

I panted, tracking the damaged key. "We've got to close in on it!"

"Alright, I'll go on above, Theodore, stay below, Hope, stop it from going down and Harry try and catch it." Ron ordered.

We all darted into our presumed positions, watching as the key skyrocketed away from us all. Harry just about managed to catch it, narrowly missing running into the wall in the process. Our celebratory cheers rang throughout the chamber.

Harry jammed the key into the lock moments after landing, the lock clicking open and the very battered key escaping yet again as soon as the ebony haired male let go of it.

"Ready?" Harry pulled the door open once we all nodded our consent.

The next chamber was dark, so dark it was hard to see anything ahead. We all took a tentative step forward and we were suddenly bombarded with light. The sudden light helped reveal the contents of the room, oddly enough, it was a huge checkered chessboard. Large black chessmen stood nearest us, towering above us and carved from a dark marble. Across the chessboard stood the white chessmen. None of the chessmen bore faces. Creepy.

"So..."

"What now." I whispered.

"Its obvious isn't it?" Daphne said. "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" Hermione asked the other girl nervously.

"I think, _we're _going to have to be chessmen." Ron took a few steps forward and observed the large stone men.

Ron gently placed a hand upon the nearest black knight's horse, which sprang to life upon impact. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned its head to peer down at Ron. "Do we- er- have to join you to get across?"

The black knight nodded.

Ron gulped. "I suppose we've got to take the place of six of the black pieces..."

"Now, don't be offended, but Hermione, Hope, you both aren't very good at chess-"

"None of us will be offended." Harry spoke up. "We're all rubbish at it as well."

"Alright." Ron took a look around the room. "Harry, take that bishop, Hermione, you go there in place of the castle, Daphne, that queen there, Hope, uh- that rook there and Theodore, that other bishop."

The intended chess pieces all turned their backs on us and walked off the boards, leaving our squares empty.

"And you?" Theodore asked as he took the place of the black bishop.

"I'll be the knight."

Once everyone had taken their squares, Ron spoke up. "White always plays first..."

Almost as if that was it's cue, the white side began to play. A white pawn moved forward two squares.

And the game began.

"Harry- move diagonally four squares to the right."

Slowly, Ron began to expertly guide the black chessmen around the room. Of course none of them could avoid getting taken, but none of us expected this. The knight was to be taken, the white queen walked forward- the stone grinding against the chessboard and smashed the black knight to the floor, dragging it off of the board. We all gasped. The knight sat off to the side, face down, silent.

"Had to let that happen." Muttered a shaky Ron. "Leaves you free to take their bishop, Hermione."

Ron was really good at chess. He noticed just in time when someone was in danger and quickly made use of the eight pawns the black chessmen had to offer. Ron's brow was furrowed, seemingly permanent wrinkles written into his forehead as he guided us all in the dangerous game of chess.

Ron paled suddenly. "We're nearly there...but-"

"But what?" I questioned with a frown, eyeing the queen that was now eyeing Ron. Weird.

"Its the only way, I've got to be taken."

"NO!" We all immediately snapped.

"That's chess! You've got to make some sacrifices! I'll make my move and she'll take me- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But-"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron-"

"Can't there be-"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone." Ron pointed out in strange calmness.

How could we fight that solid logic?

Ron's pale face was laced with determination. "Ready? Here I go- now don't be hanging around once you've won."

He took a step forward and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her arm. Ron's limp body crashing down onto the floor. We screamed.

We all turned to face a shaking Harry, who of which took three spaces to the left. The white king threw his crown down at Harry's feet, admitting defeat. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the path towards the door clear.

Despite Ron telling us to let him be, we all darted towards the redhead, kneeling around him.

"Is he alright?" Hermione whispered.

"I think... just knocked out." Daphne muttered as she wiped Ron's hair out of his face.

"He'll be all right." Harry said, trying to convince Hermione and I as much as himself and the others.

"I hope so."

"So, what do you reckons next?" Theodore asked after a moment.

"Well," I began. "the Devil's Snare was Sprout. Flitwick must've charmed the keys. Finally, McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to life."

Hermione nodded her head, still staring down at Ron. "That leaves Quirrell's and Snape's."

When we all turned to look at Theodore he simply shrugged. "Honestly, I won't be much help during potions. Even if I am a Slytherin, I'm rubbish at it."

"Why don't you three go on ahead? Hermione, Harry and Hope." Daphne suggested. "Theodore and I can stay behind with Ron."

Hermione and I traded unsure looks.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked with a small frown gracing his lips.

"Positive."

"Go on ahead, before it's to late."

"Alright..."

Hermione, Harry and I made our way towards the opposite door, casting one final look back to the others. I pushed the door open and immediately cringed, a disgusting smell filling our nostrils. Our eyes watered as they fell upon a troll, large in size and knocked out with a bloody lump upon its head.

Hermione gagged, pressing the sleeve of her jumper against her nose. "That's revolting."

"Let's go, I can't breathe!" Harry coughed out.

"You can't breathe a lot lately." I told him in a teasing tone.

Harry shot me a glare.

Snape's task was up next, behind the next threatening doorframe. We braced ourselves and pushed the door open.

"Huh."

There wasn't anything scary or frightening, nothing trying to kill us at all. Simply a table that held up several different shaped bottles that stood out in a line.

"What do we have to do?" I inquired.

We walked past the threshold of the door, a strange purple fire springing up from behind. At the same second, a black fire sprang up before the doorway ahead.

"Oh, lookie, a note!" I cried out, seizing a rolled up parchment that sat beside the bottles.

Harry and Hermione peeked over my shoulder as I began to read aloud:

_'Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead, _

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand on either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione smiled suddenly. "_Brilliant_. This isn't magic- it's logic- a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

I stared down at the parchment in wonder.

"But so will we, wont we?" Harry wondered aloud.

We both turned towards Hermione.

"Of course not." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles; three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safety across the black fire; and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which one to drink?" Harry asked.

"Give me a minute."

Hermione began to reread the note, reading it several times before she walked up to the table and began to mutter to herself. As last, she clasped her hands together and picked up the smallest bottle. "This one will get us through the black fire- towards the Stone."

I smiled at her approvingly. "Great job, Mon."

"Thanks, Hope." She smiled back at me.

"And this one, will get us through the purple flames." Hermione grabbed the rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You two drink that." Harry said immediately. When we both began to protest he held up a hand. "No, listen. Go back and get the others. You can use the brooms to get past Fluffy and out the trapdoor. Go to the owlery and send my owl to Dumbledore, we need him. Hope, stop your mumbling. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."

"What if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well, I was lucky once, wasn't I? I may get lucky again." Harry pointed pointedly at his scar.

"How do you expect us to haul a comatose Ron onto a broom and up the trapdoor for one? Secondly, use Hedwig. Thirdly, I don't mumble and don't trust that old fool, mkay?" I told the boy, ticking them off with my fingers. "Also, _we_ were lucky, not just you, _we. _Just cause you defeated Voldywart doesn't mean that he couldn't have killed me off before hand, alright? I'm coming with you and before you attempt to persuade me otherwise, I'm going. _End_ of story, _hun_."

Harry blinked at me. "Hope-"

"No- nu- nu'uh." I interrupted him with an annoyed look of irritation. "I'm going and Mon can go back to the others. Like you said, you aren't a match for him alone. That's why I'm coming."

Hermione watched us with interest. "You two really are related... both as stubborn as they come."

I smiled at her. "Awe, you aren't going to try and persuade me not to go?"

"I know better." Hermione considered me before she swept me up into a hug. "Be careful you two."

I hugged her back with vigor. "We will."

"You watch over her." Hermione pointed at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"I will." He told her.

"You both are great wizards, you know what?" She told us as she shifted the round bottle around in her hands.

"I'm not as good as you." I mumbled, cheeks tinging pink.

"Me! Books! And cleverness! There are far more important things- friendship and bravery. You two be _careful_!"

"You drink first." Harry motioned at her bottle.

I watched in mild amusement as she shuddered at the contents of the drink. "Oh- it's like ice."

"At least it's not poison."

"Be careful! Good luck-"

"Go." I told her gently, slowly pushing her off in the direction of the purple fire.

As she pasted through it Harry took a small sip of the small bottle, saving enough which he then handed off to me. My nose scrunched up as I stared at the now empty bottle. "Huh, does taste like ice. That wasn't half as bad as I expected, though. Oh, that's right. Hand me the Cloak."

"Why?" He asked me, handing me the Cloak without hesitation.

"I have a feeling we'll need it." I shrugged, slipping it over my shoulders so that only my head was visible.

We both turned towards the black fire, its thick flames lapping upwards. Harry took as step forward, but I stopped him. "I feel we should say something _really_ cool before we walk in there."

Harry's eyebrow quirked up in mirth. "Like what?"

I shrugged.

"How about- here we come?"

"Perfect."

"Here we come." We both said simultaneously, stepping through the fire, feeling it wash over us and blur our vision momentarily.

The Cloak was slipped over the rest of my body as we entered the final chamber.

But someone was already there and it wasn't Snape. Nor was it Voldemort.


End file.
